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Money and Wisdom
Clark Beck

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Wisdom is like sweet honey to our souls, and there is a future for us in wisdom. As Proverbs 24:13–14 says, “Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”

One area where we desperately need God’s wisdom is money. How we handle money is extremely important to God. In fact, money is one of the topics Jesus taught on the most, because what we do with our money reveals our hearts. Jesus said plainly in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve God and money.” Your relationship with money demonstrates who you serve.

The big picture idea is this: God is to be first in our finances. This firstfruits principle is all about making God first in our finances — and making God first in our finances is directly related to making God first in our hearts. As Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Everything belongs to God, and everything we have has been given to us by God. We are merely stewards of his money. It belongs to him, and we have been entrusted with it. Therefore, since all of our money comes from God and belongs to God, we are to manage our money with integrity, contentment, and generosity.

Integrity with Money

Proverbs 28:6 says, “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” There is no amount of money worth sacrificing your integrity. What really matters is integrity, not the amount of money you have.

One of the primary ways we walk with integrity in the area of money is in our work. Diligent, faithful, hard work is a huge part of how we relate to money with integrity. Going after worthless pursuits, a quick buck, or just talking about making money is not the way God wants us to relate to money. If you think you can “get rich quick,” it’s a scam. But there’s something about honest work that keeps our hearts in check.

We also walk with integrity by putting our character before our money. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.” One of the best assets you can ever have is a good name. Never trade your name for money. Never trade Jesus’ name for temporary wealth. Those who come after you — especially in your family — will thank you for making these choices.

Contentment with Money

Paul said in Philippians 4:11–13 that he had learned, in whatever situation he was in, to be content — with a lot or a little. Contentment is one of the greatest battles we face in life, especially when it comes to money. And it has very little to do with how much money we have.

Contentment is a state of the heart. It’s a sense of satisfaction with what you have. If you are content with Christ, then you know that you already have all that you need in him. If you are not content with Christ, there is nothing in this world that will make you content.

Contentment also means we avoid excessive debt. Consumer debt is a sign that we are not able to live within our means in a content way. Proverbs 22:7 warns that “the borrower is the slave of the lender.” Let’s not make ourselves slaves by lacking the contentment to live within our means.

Generosity with Money

When we walk with integrity and contentment with money, the natural result is generosity. A wise person is a generous person because a wise person trusts God.

Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” Therefore, before you do anything else with your money and possessions, you give some of it back to him. You do not give him the leftovers — you give him the first and the best. It’s amazing how following this firstfruits principle cuts the chord of greed in your heart.

God also desires that we keep an open hand with others. Proverbs 11:24–25 says, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” This is how God’s economy works.

We serve a very generous God. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, he didn’t just forgive us — he also makes us his children, co-heirs with his Son. If you have experienced his generosity in your salvation, how could you doubt his ongoing generosity as your Father? How could you hold back when he tells you to give?

Give God the first and best of your finances. He will meet your needs, and you will be free from the power of money and anxiety.