Biblical Finances · Freedom and Victory · Biblical Wisdom · Christian Life
A slave to your credit card?
6 min read, approximately
Luke 16: 11-12 (Credit card)
“If you have not been faithful with unrighteous riches, who will entrust you with what is true? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?”
Nowadays
Sadly, a lack of judgment and patience, falling into consumerism, and the famous “I want it right now” mentality often lead us astray, plunging us into debt. And that is not all… our children end up paying the consequences.
A very long time ago, banks saw how profitable the strategy of “Buy now and pay us later” could be. We even see arrangements that allow young people to have a credit card!
Many people are delighted when they receive a credit card; they think it is the answer to everything, a blessing beyond compare!
“If you have nothing with which to pay, why should they take your bed from under you?” (Proverbs 22:27)
Reflecting
Do you know? God has been so good that he not only created us, saved us, and gave us eternal life, but also equipped us abundantly (gifts and talents), and we use these things every day without even noticing.
God intended us to be free, to be winners, to be victorious, to be the head and not the tail!
But how sad it is that, with the Word of God in our hands, we would rather experience shame and disgrace by managing our finances poorly and allowing someone else to rule over us.
Let us look at some verses to reflect on managing our finances and begin, little by little, to leave poor stewardship of our possessions behind:
\1. Do we tithe and give offerings?
Obedience first!
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first fruits of your harvests. Then your barns will be filled to bursting, and your cellars will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, says the LORD of hosts: See whether I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you until it overflows. I will also rebuke the devourer for you, and it will not destroy the fruit of your land, nor will your vine in the field be barren, says the LORD of hosts. All nations will call you blessed, for you will be a desirable land, says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:10-12)
“He told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until the whole batch was leavened.” (Matthew 13:33)
\2. Do we like to save?
“Wealth gained through vanity will diminish, but whoever gathers by their own hand will increase it.” (Proverbs 13:11)
“Now let Pharaoh find a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this and appoint governors over the land, and take a fifth of the produce of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Let them gather all the provisions of these coming good years and store grain under Pharaoh’s authority for food in the cities, keeping it safe. Let these provisions be held in reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the land does not perish from hunger.” (Genesis 41:33-36)
3. Do we study how to diversify and invest our money?
“Through wisdom a house will be built, and through prudence it will be established; through knowledge its rooms will be filled with every precious and pleasant possession.” (Proverbs 24:3-4)
“The plans of the diligent surely lead to abundance, but everyone who acts hastily will surely come to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)
“Wealth gained through vanity will diminish, but whoever gathers by their own hand will increase it.” (Proverbs 13:11)
\4. Do we spend more than we earn?
The first thing we see is the first thing we want to buy! And we do not consider how much money we have! “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure accompanied by trouble.” (Proverbs 15:16)
“He said to them: Watch out and guard yourselves against all greed, for a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
“Precious treasure and abundance are in the house of the wise, but the foolish person will squander them.” (Proverbs 21:20)
\5. Do we pay what we owe first?
“The wicked borrow and do not repay…” (Psalms 37:21a)
“Pay everyone what you owe: tribute to whom tribute is due, taxes to whom taxes are due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for whoever loves their neighbor has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:7-8)
\6. A budget?
“Which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see whether he has what is needed to finish it? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and being unable to finish, everyone who sees it may begin to mock him, saying: This man began to build and could not finish.” (Luke 14:28-30)
\7. What plan do we have for getting out of debt?
If there is none, then
“The rich will rule over the poor, and the borrower is the servant of the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7b)
What is our real motivation for having a credit card? When do we intend to get out of credit-card debt? Is there a plan?
“What use is money in a fool’s hand to buy wisdom, when he has no understanding?” (Proverbs 17:16)
“My people were destroyed because they lacked knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6a)
Where is our trust… in the one who says, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts,” or are we among those who say, “At last… I have a credit card!”?
May God continue to bless you
and may you keep enjoying an excellent day in Christ Jesus!
I invite you to stop by the Songbook