Save, Don’t Hoard

Do you trust God with your future?

The Lord wants us to depend on Him but allows us to save for the unexpected so we can have stability and long-term plans in place. His Word encourages saving. Proverbs 21:20 says, “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” Even ants are commended for saving. In Proverbs 30 we read, “Four things on earth are small, yet they’re extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.” (Proverbs 30:24-25) Like ants, we need to save in anticipation of future needs. Saving enables us to fulfill God’s plans for our lives. We’re not to hoard, but we yield our finances to God and trust Him with our future.

In Luke 12, Jesus told a parable about a farmer who had an especially bountiful crop one year. Rather than seeing the excess as a means to bless others or to invest it, he planned to build bigger barns to store it. Hoarding would enable him to take life easy. He reasoned, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” (Luke 12:19) The farmer believed he had achieved security, but it was an illusion. That very night, the man was called to give an account to God for how he had handled the resources entrusted to him. Now that’s a wake-up call to all of us. Ask God to help you establish short and long-term goals. Then live intentionally and trust Him completely with your future!

And if you’re struggling to save because of credit card debt, Christian Credit Counselors can create a debt management plan just for you. For more information call the Crown Helpline: 800-722-1976 or visit online at crown.org/ccc.