I almost bought this new cheese grater the other day. The crazy thing is that I don't eat dairy. We can easily spend our money on things we don't need. A small purchase isn't that big of a deal, but if we are foolish with our finances, we can have significant consequences. We want to make the wise choices with our money to find freedom, peace, and purpose. The book of Proverbs has some life advice to share about how we manage our money. There are a bunch of verses and there are four main themes that show up in this book of wisdom: Be Content, Work Save to Save, Deal with Debt, and Live Generously. Here are a few verses in those areas:

Proverb 10:4 - Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 11:25 - A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 12:11 - Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
Proverbs 13:11 - Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow
Proverbs 19:23 - The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Proverbs 22:7 - The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

These principles can help us have a well-rounded approach to fixing our finances. There are practical things we can do like limit our debt and save little by little. There are also heart issues we need to consider. Will I be content instead of hoping to have more things that will make me feel better? Will I be generous instead of just living for myself? Managing our money is just as much (if not more) of a heart issue as it is a habitual process. When we realize that our worth is found in God, it changes how we see our lives including how we spend our money. God loves us. He sees us as valuable and calls us His own. He gives us hope, life, and a secure future. If we don't deal with this heart issue, we will continue to compare ourselves to others and buy things to impress others or to try to make ourselves feel better. That is an unending pursuit that never satisfies us and leads us towards foolish choices with our finances.

For more insights, check out week 2 of our series, Weak or Wise. We also have more financial resources available here.