Handling your money wisely (1)

There are about 500 Bible verses on prayer and more than 2,000 on handling money and possessions. It’s a make-or-break issue! It’s no surprise that money-related issues are often cited as a reason for divorce. And there’s good reason for this: money and stress often go hand in hand. The Bible says, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich.” Not only does God expect us to make money, but when we honour Him, He will help us to make more. But there is a right and a wrong way to do it. The Bible teaches that money should come by hard work. “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Proverbs 10:4 NKJV). “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Proverbs 13:11 NKJV). God expects those who labour to give a good day’s work, just as He expects those in management to pay a good day’s wage. Both labour and management are to make money. Labour helps management make a profit, while management helps labour make a salary. A profit well-earned and a salary honestly made are both pleasing to the Lord. But your money must also be made by honest work. “He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches…will surely come to poverty” (Proverbs 22:16 NKJV). That’s a warning to those who rip people off by charging extortionate interest rates. Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way: “Switching price tags and padding the expense account are two things God hates” (Proverbs 20:10 MSG). God makes it plain: winners never cheat, and He will make sure cheaters never win!