God is not only interested in how we obtain wealth, he is also concerned with how we spend our wealth. Intentions play a major factor in whether we are honoring God with our wealth or if we are living selfishly.
In the book of Proverbs, there are at least seven significant principles offered that direct the use of wealth. In order to generate, sustain, and distribute wealth in a God-honoring manner follow these seven precepts.
7 Principles in Proverbs for spending wealth
Live within your means (Pr 19:10).
Some are able to live in luxury and keep at bay the temptation of idolizing wealth and what comes with being wealthy. Part of managing wealth is the development of humility. Another quality that guides spending is self-control. A third characteristic important to managing wealth is distinguishing between need and want. The wise person asks the LORD for only two things:
- to live honestly
- to be neither rich or poor (Pr 30:7-8).
The desire to appear more successful and wealthier than your neighbors is the road to financial and emotional disaster. Living within your means includes not extending your lifestyle using debt.
It’s difficult to honestly know what a neighbor is worth. I lived next to a neighbor who appeared to be doing very well in his business. He purchased a nice home. Then he completely renovated the home. Finally, he put in a beautiful swimming pool and tropical garden in his backyard. Unfortunately, when he died he left his wife in such debt that she had to sell the house. Everything they did was accomplished using debt. They appeared wealth but in the end, he owed more than he owned. Coveting what your neighbor has is dangerous (Ex 20:17). You may actually be coveting his mountain of debt!
Don’t pretend to be rich or poor—be who God created you to be (Pr 13:7-8).
Impersonating someone you are not is a form of lying. Pretending to be rich or poor is a way of trying to gain a social status that isn’t true. Pretending to be poor is often used as a means of escaping what would otherwise be financial responsibilities such as supporting your church or caring for the poor. Pretending to be rich is commonly used to elevate in the minds of others your importance (Ac 5:1-4). Both are forms of fraud. Being honest with your wealth is a sign of mature stewardship of the blessings God provides.
Practice delayed gratification and don’t go into debt
Paul taught Timothy the principle of self-control when he wrote: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim 6:6 NIV). How easy it is to use debt for purchasing things we otherwise can’t afford 
and often don’t need (Pr 27:20, 14:30). John the Baptist told the tax collectors who wished to receive his baptism of repentance to “be content with your pay” (Lk 3:14 NIV). They were not to steal from others or prosper using dishonest gain. He was calling them to be satisfied with fair wages. Being content with the things you currently own is a gift to the wise and keeps us from the slavery of dishonesty and debt. It frees us to be satisfied with what we need and what we need isn’t always the most expensive or latest edition of a product. Insisting on the latest greatest version can and does enslaved us to debt as we purchase what we can’t always afford.
Contentment is considered a bad word in our materialistic culture. Conventional wisdom tells us that being satisfied with our accomplishments leads to sloth and poor quality. Contentment, we are told, removes the drive toward excellence. However, satisfaction with what you have doesn’t remove the drive or motivation to offer your best work. Contentment doesn’t decrease the drive for excellence, rather, it enhances it. The sense of really being satisfied and fulfilled is what guards your heart against being a perfectionist. It can save you from exhaustion and from investing inordinate amounts of time on details that are insignificant.
Contentment doesn’t lead to complacency either but rather frees us to finish a project and begin a new one. It’s true we often don’t reach perfection, but perfection doesn’t equate to excellence. Perfection is never reached and like its opposite, procrastination, can paralyze efforts to move on and begin a new project. Part of doing work well is to enjoy the work of your hands and then to rest knowing that God is satisfied with your efforts. What you do faithfully to him is done in an excellent manner.
Delayed gratification and the commitment not to purchase unnecessary things using debt indicates you are a content person. You are content with what you have and with what you do. Such a person can move on with his or her accomplishments and rest in knowing they have given their best to the LORD.
Preserve capital and practice planned spending
“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Pr 21:5 NIV). The practice of preserving capital and planning your spending, even on small purchases such as groceries, 
results in living within your means and keeps you out of debt. When possible, Christians need to prepare for a future that may include difficult times and financially lean years. This can only happen if capital is reserved for hard times and allowed to generate passive income. Not only are capital reserve funds necessary for businesses, it’s also a good idea for individuals and families to save for major ticket items such as a new air conditioner, major appliances, or a new (newer) automobile.
Some think faith in God means limiting God’s response to human needs to only one type of response. This mistaken view has often been heard using the phrase, “let’s wait on God and he will miraculously take care of our need.” This is said as though it’s more spiritual than preserving capital and the practice of planned spending. It’s as though the only way they think God will meet their need is if it’s through a one-time miraculous act. Though God does do this, limiting God because we have been irresponsible in planning for known future expenses appears to be more presumption than genuine faith. To limit his avenues of care to only acts that don’t include human responsibility will one day catch you in a conundrum.
The most common and prudent way God responds to big needs is through the faithful saving of funds to pay for needs that are greater than one, two, or three month’s salary. Furthermore, Christians who diligently and methodically acquire wealth are able to support others in the causes of Jesus Christ in substantial ways; as well as they become a source of support to others who are facing financial difficulties. Budgeting and including in budgets resources to smooth out lean financial times is not only prudent—it is wise (Pr 10:15, 30:25)
Leaving an inheritance is one way of leaving a legacy of trust in the LORD (Pr 13:21-22).
The sinner is found in trouble as misfortune pursues him (loss of wealth personified), but fortune (prosperity) pursues the one who has placed righteousness as something of true value. Prosperity from God is a reward to the righteous and includes an inheritance for your children and your grandchildren. The point is that the godly man’s wealth endures for generations (Pr 8:18). Proverbs teaches that even ungodly wealth is stored up for God’s purposes (Pr 28:8, Ecc 2:26, Job 27:16-17).
When God’s economic laws are followed wealth accumulates and is passed on to subsequent generations (Pr 19:14). Our service, labor, and financial resources, when dedicated to the LORD, will have an impact on a future generation.
As your wealth grows, practice these biblical priorities and distribute your wealth as God would have you distribute it. In leaving an inheritance, remember your first responsibility is to your immediate family, so give to the needs of your family first. Second, we tithe to God on our increases. We do as the Prophet Malachi taught, give the first fruits of the harvest to the Lord to directly support the spiritual lives of ourselves, our loved ones, and our community. Third, we always remember the poor knowing that the greatest number of poor are abandoned children–casualties of injustice. Finally, but of equal importance, we grow our capital so that we leave an inheritance that encourages the Kingdom of God to grow and prosper until Christ’s return.
The greatest takeaways from Proverbs on wealth
The greatest takeaways from Proverbs’ statements on wealth is two-fold. The first is located in the only prayer found in the book of Proverbs. We need to pray that God will give us what our humility can support (Pr 30:7-9) and be satisfied with the wealth God supplies (Ecc 2:24-25, Mt 6:11).
Pictures are from various photographers on Freerangestock.com, Stockfree.com, and Pexels.com
