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MONEY MATTERS

The Book of Proverbs portrays a comparative picture of the wise and the foolish person, illustrating that our choices lead to consequences. This wisdom guides us with our money. In the following Proverbs, we see both the comparison and the consequences of our attitude towards work.

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23 (NIV)

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligentis richly supplied. Proverbs 13:4 (ESV)

The message of Proverbs can be combined to form a more complete picture: laziness, haste, procrastination, and the chasing of fantasies lead to poverty. Whereas hard work, diligence, and planning accompanied with restraint lead to wealth attained in a healthy manner.

Proverbs finish with an acrostic poem about a wise woman (Proverbs 31:10--25). She is described as a wife, mother, manager of her household, businesswoman, and influential member of the community. This woman personifies wisdom. Who she is and how she lives embodies wisdom's traits and fruits. This woman works diligently in her trade of spinning and sewing. Proverbs guides us to be people that are hard workers, save in the cycle of seasons and supply (Proverbs 6:6-8), invest well, and be generous to others and to God (Proverbs 11:25, 22:9).

Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

Our household will always be blessed when we posture our hearts and hands to give our money to God and others. Our giving to God also expresses our honor to Him and is an expression of 'fearing or revering the Lord.'

Prayer Point: Lord, thank you for the wisdom of Proverbs in relation to money and work. I pray you would help me have the same attributes as the woman in Proverbs 31. May I be diligent, saving in season, investing well, and able to be generous on every occasion. As I read Proverbs this week, Lord, guide me in my finances.