A wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets. Proverbs 21:20 (TLB)
Have you ever looked back on a purchase you’ve made and thought to yourself, “I really didn’t need that,” or “I shouldn’t have bought that?” There’s a certain guilt associated with buyer’s remorse — splurging when perhaps you shouldn’t have.
It’s common for us to overextend ourselves and tap into our rainy day funds for immediate gratification, or to frivolously spend outside of our priorities at the cost of making up for it later. It may be common, but that doesn’t make it wise. We are called to be good stewards of what God has given us. Taking the mindset that any money we possess is not ours (it’s merely loaned to us by God) can help steer us away from greed or the love of money.
The book of Proverbs is a wonderful resource on the topic of fiscal responsibility. It speaks of the importance of living modestly within your means (Prov. 13:7), storing money away for future generations (Prov. 13:22), avoiding greed (Prov. 15:27), and honoring God by giving to Him first (Prov. 3:9).
It’s a good idea to analyze your spending habits. Do they line up with how the Bible tells us to treat our resources? What adjustments can you make to help ensure you’re saving for your future?