Reading The Bible Will Make You Rich
No matter your spiritual disposition, those guys who wrote the Bible knew a thing or two about holding on to your shekels.
Get Rich Slowly gathered together some personal finance proverbs that are as true today as when they were written.
• Save 10% of everything you earn: "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
• Avarice is a sin: "Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15
• Mind the debts you take on: "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." Proverbs 22:7
Do you have a favorite personal-finance proverb, from the Bible or from other texts? Share yours in the comments.
Why Religion is an Important Part of Personal Finance [Get Rich Slowly]
(Photo: amishsteve)
Note: If you want to discuss anything besides how the bible relates to personal finance, I've opened a thread in The Consumerist Forums. Anyone who continues to post off-topic here could become a candidate for banning. You've been warned.
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"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." (L. Ron Hubbard)
www.xenu.net for the backstory...
It's also got some great advice about how to deal with people of other nationality and religions:
"...thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son." Deuteronomy 7:2-3
"If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers... But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people." Deuteronomy 13:5-9
This is not a thread about whether you like the Bible or Christianity or religions at large. It's about managing personal finance using quotes from religious texts. Please stay on topic.
And slavery is an acceptable practice according to the bible as well.
Leviticus 25:44-46
@Ben Popken: Apparently you haven't been following the comments on the original post... ;)
This is destined to devolve into a pissing match no matter what you tell people about your true intentions in posting it.
Is it really off topic? If GM could replace their unionized workforce with slaves, they could save enough shekels to meet retiree healthcare costs. They'd still probably build oversized crappy gas guzzlers no one wants to buy though.
@Michael: I cringe to think anyone is considering slavery as a viable means for managing their personal finances. Off-topic.
@Ben Popken: Well, it made some southerners rich...
Well, anyway, it does have *some* decent advice:
Prov 23:4-5 (NIV) Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
On the other hand it seems to have been written by commies:
Acts 2:44-45 (Phi) All the believers joined together and shared everything in common; they sold their possessions and goods and divided the proceeds among the fellowship according to individual need.
And it contradicts itself:
Luke 16:9-12 (NIV) "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings... If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?"
Luke 14:12-14 (NIV) "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
And one gets the feeling they might not be the best source of monetary advice:
Luke 16:9-12 (NIV) "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings... If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?"
Luke 14:12-14 (NIV) "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
As they don't even seem to like the stuff...
Money and religion in a thread. All that's missing is politics. What's the over/under on the thread getting locked?
Next on maury: Politicians who buy sex using money they saved by adhering to scripture...
To suggest that Michael was suggesting that "slavery [is] a viable means for managing their personal finances" is disingenuous at best.
We was making the valid point that the bible endorses slavery.
Slavery in the Americas during the 18th and 19th centuries contributed an enormous amount to the world's wealth, industry and economy, and continues to have a real and significant effect on these things today. This is especially so if you consider sweatshops to perpetuate a form of slavery, as they provide the materials and goods that keep this capitalist and consumerist western world humming.
The headline had me thinking this was about the myth that there's money in gideon bibles.
@dbeahn: Wouldn't anything old testament be from the Torah? Doesn't that just justify and perpetuate the stereo type of Jewish money management?
I know you were kidding, but for future reference the Torah is just the first five books, not the entire old testament.
Cripes on Rye, heaven forbid (harhar) you use something Christian positively, Ben. This is the internet, remember? All-knowing and agnostic.
On-topic (and fitting): Proverbs 26:17: "Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own."
If you want to discuss anything besides how the bible relates to personal finance, I've opened a thread in The Consumerist Forums. Anyone who continues to post off-topic here could become a candidate for banning. You've been warned.
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."
So to rule over others, I should lend them money? The Bible says so. Besides, what about the Bible's most famous passage about money: "Give unto Cesear that which is Cesear's. Give unto God that which is God's." Doesn't that sorta suggest God's disinterest in financial matters? Plus, the Bible does say, "For the want of money is the root of all evil." I think it also says, "Money, it's a hit. Don't give me that do-goody-good bullshit." That might be another sacred document, though.
Proverbs 31:10-20
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
There's more, but this is a good sampling. The Bible tells women to make what they need in order to save money, to start their own businesses and provide high-quality products or services, to invest in real estate and make improvements on it to earn a return, and to give to charity when possible. I think this is all good advice.
I'm fairly sure that the Bible or perhaps just "the church" also says to give them 10% of your income (tithe). I don't see how thats going to help.
I was supposed to read the book "Wealth and Poverty of Nations" for a college class. It was one man's (I'm assuming he's some sort of expert, but I didn't read the book) reasoning why some countries are wealthy (US and Western Europe) and others are poor. We looked at a lot of different factors that covered the first part of the book. The class didn't go on, but my classmates who did read the book said the final conclusion was that besides all the climate, and resources, the biggest factor was the judeo-christian morals. Sorry I didn't read the book. I would be of more help.
@Bay State Darren:
On the subject of lending, the Bible also says not to charge others interest, at least your countrymen. This was in the old testament, so one 'could' extrapolate that during the whole 'Jesus says God isn't just for Jews' time, that such behavior would be deemed necessary not just for one's countrymen, but everyone. Similar restrictions on the charging of interest exist in Islam, hence there are no-interested home buying options for Muslims in some of their communities (I'm not positive on exactly how that works, so don't ask me).
Anyway, the Bible talks more about money than almost any other subject because money and finance are some of the easiest parts of one's life to justify being selfish and greedy and even screwing over other people.
Also, in my admittedly somewhat religious circles, the verse about money that stands out most (besides the root of all kinds of evil thing) is the whole "a rich man fits through the gates of heaven about as easily as a camel fits through the eye of a needle" thing...but that's just us.
@tadowguy:
Its the church, you won't find a verse anywhere telling you to give your money to god.
If I actually read the bible, and believe, then I'd have to go fight wars in god's name too and I'm just not up for that.
I'm pretty sure the folks posting verses out of context here are the same ones throwing a fit when someone quotes the Koran to prove all Muslims are terrorists.
I really like this post. The Bible is a great resource for how to live regardless of your theological belief (or lack therof).
A few things everyone might find interesting...
-Money is NOT the root of all evil. Thats one of those "made to stick" phrases that stuck even though its not true. Its the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil.
-The old testament is NOT the torah. The torah is
the first five books of the bible. Because few of us have the context (know hebrew, understand that this part of the Bible is largely an oral history that was later written), its easy to pull out verses or laws that were important at the time they were written to devalue the wisdom that is still relavant.
Take one of the ten commandments "thou shalt not kill". Now most cultures, including jewish cultures agreed that killing people was wrong. At first glance you might think this is an easy one. But you also should not commit murder on a persons character. Ever participated in gossip?
-The Bible has a lot of guidance on money, because whoever you believe that wrote the Bible knew that money is a very important topic and that it would affect everyone. Mismanagement of money and lack of discipline leads to divorce, ruined relationships, poverty, depression, and many other negative things that affects everyone. Better money management leads to a better world.
- The bible does suggest that you give away 10% of your income. It's amazing how your view of money changes when you give money away to churches, foundations, or charities. Think of it as an immunization against selfishness.
-Debt limits your options. Its a basic truth that if you have made a loan commitment, you don't have the freedom to take adavantage of opporunities that may come along (i.e. a job that doesn't pay well initially, but provides good experience or long term payoff, a startup). The Bible encourages you to think long and hard before taking out a loan.
Hope this helps...
See if we can get the italics turned off...
I can't say I've read the Bible but given its length and the amount of third-party analysis of it that already exists, it sure seems that if all you did was read and study the Bible you'd save money because between doing that and work you'd be hard pressed to find a whole lot of time to watch TV or buy non-necessities.
The Bible also tells us not to barrow money. Seems they knew about credit cards before they were invented.
Oh yes, I have a few favorites to add:
II Corinthians 8:9 - For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
Psalm 37:4 - Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
II Corinthians 9:6-8 - But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:
Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Psalm 35:27 - Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
III John 1:2 - Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Acts 10:4 - And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Joshua 1:7,8 - Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it [to] the right hand or [to] the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 112:1,3 - Praise ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the man [that] feareth the LORD, [that] delighteth greatly in his commandments. Wealth and riches [shall be] in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Romans 8:32 - He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Proverbs 13:22 - A good [man] leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just.
Deuteronomy 8:18 - But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for [it is] he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as [it is] this day.
Malachi 3:10 - Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].
Proverbs 3:9,10 - Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Proverbs 10:22 - The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
I Timothy 6:17 - Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
John 15:7,8 - If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Deuteronomy 29:9 - Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
I Kings 2:3 - And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
I Chronicles 22:13 - Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
II Chronicles 26:5 - And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
Matthew 6:24 - No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Ephesians 6:8 - Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free.
Proverbs 19:17 - He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
I Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
This states that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil; NOT money itself. You must put the Lord first, not money.
Mark 10:23 - And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words.
If Jesus went to a bunch of poor people and said "rich people are going to have a hard time getting to heaven", the poor people wouldn't ask any questions, but here the disciples are astonished and start asking questions. Jesus clarifies his statement in the next verse:
Mark 10:24 - But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
Here he states that it's not the MONEY that makes it hard for them, it's hard for those that TRUST in that money, and not in Him
Job 14:1 - Man [that is] born of a woman [is] of few days, and full of trouble.
Job had problems, there's no doubt about that. At the time of this writing he was in a state of depression and was expressing his feelings which were NOT of God. He goes on to say later in the book:
Job 36:11 - If they obey and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
A complete turn around...it is also mentioned that Job was not speaking from a clear mind at the time of his previous writing:
Job 34:35 - Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words [were] without wisdom.
Job 35:16 - Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
Matthew 8:20 - And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.
Some take this to mean that Jesus was poor and had nowhere to live; After all, he was born in a barn right?
The reason he was born in the stable is because Joseph and Mary were traveling and there was no room in the inn. Jesus did alot of traveling also, and did not own a home in every city he went into, so didn't have a place to lay his head at this time, however:
Mark 2:15 - And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
Jesus sat at meat in HIS house. He had a house. It states that MANY publicans AND sinners AND his disciples were there for there were MANY. Notice it mentions TWICE that there were many? Notice it mentions that they SAT at meat in his house? It wasn't standing room only; There was room for MANY MANY to sit and eat.
John 19:23,24 - Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also [his] coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
The coat was woven without seam, this was a VERY expensive coat, otherwise, they wouldn't have been gambling for it.
Mark 6:37 - He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
A penny was a days wages. If we compare that to todays economy, I don't think ten dollars an hour is a ridiculous amount of money, so we could say eighty dollars a day times 200 days, that would be about $16,000. The disciples actually asked Jesus if they should go out and buy $16,000 worth of food. Why would they even bother asking if they didn't have it to begin with?
John 12:3-6 - Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's [son], which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Once again, we see a pence (or penny) this time $24,000 worth of perfume was poured onto the feet of Jesus. Judas had been stealing from the treasury the whole time and was upset that the ointment wasn't sold. The fact that Jesus even had a treasurer should speak for itself.
I Samuel 2:17 - Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
Men hated giving tithes and offerings and the sin problem got bad.
Leviticus 27:31 - And if a man will at all redeem [ought] of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth [part] thereof.
Although we are no longer under the law, I just wanted to mention this verse to show how strongly the Lord feels about tithes. Under the law, if you were late paying your tithes, the Lord expected a fifth part thereof, or 20 percent interest!
In II Kings Chapter 4, it talks about the widow that had the two sons that were going to be sold into slavery to pay her husbands funeral expenses, but the Lord miraculously cancelled her debt by not stopping the flow of oil.
In Chapter 6 of II Kings, a man borrows and axe and the head flies off as he's chopping wood, and the Lord again performed a miracle to cancel a debt for the axe by allowing the head to swim (not just float) up river (against the flow!)
Mark 12:44 - For all [they] did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, [even] all her living.
This lady had a need. And the reason she GAVE is to GET something back. She GAVE out of her WANT.
@junkmail: FWIW, my quotes came from [www.acts17-11.com] -- feel free to read all the context you like. For myself, I'm not planning on using either the Bible or the Koran as a source of advice on money or anything else. YMMV.
These aren't necessarily found in the Bible, but there's a few financial quirks from the Mormon side of things:
- Leaders regularly tell us to get out of and stay out of debt. While there is some "good debt" (buying a modest home or car, student loans, etc.), we try and pay that off as quickly as possible. Carrying a debt load is very expensive and will cause you many problems in bad economic times.
- Food storage is a big thing with the LDS. We're supposed to keep a year's supply of food on hand at all times. If you think about it, this is a nice cushion for when you might be unemployed or have a few tight months. Think of the grain storage system in Egypt during OT times.
- Many of us keep gardens to ease the monthly food budget and supplement food storage should we reach a point where we need to use it. Gardens can be spread out on a big lot or confined to containers on your windowsills. No matter your living space, you can grow something. On that same note, try and coordinate what you grow with neighbors so you can trade. Zucchini plants, for instance, will give you more than you will ever use in a season, so make sure you can exchange them for something you actually want.
Regarding the whole tithing thing (yes, we pay a 10% tithe plus fast offerings), that can actually prove to be a boon to your financial picture. The tax implications at the end of the year ended up keeping us in a slightly lower bracket. I also seem to recall reading somewhere that those who donate more frequently generally have a rosier financial picture. (I could be wrong, especially since I'm going from memory on that last bit.)
"In other words, how a person reacts with his money in a given situation often is fundamentally tied to whether or not he's actually following his religious practices - it's a visible, outside indication of his true belief in the principles of his religion."
That must be why so many Christians are voluntarily poor ("Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ... "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:21 & 24, cf. Mark 10:21 ff "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." and Luke 18) and why hardly any Christians use any kind of credit with interest rates attached to it (that's usury).
Go ahead, ask me what I think of that Prayer of Jabez book. ;) :P
@Ben Popken: "I cringe to think anyone is considering slavery as a viable means for managing their personal finances. Off-topic."
good morning and welcome to the united slaves of america. please follow the yellow line and register for your social security card, credit card, and your localized fat injection. thank you, drive through.
closing italics. thats much better!
For those who are doing the whole "Bible never says to give tithe to the church" have not read Malachi 3:10, which reads (in the NIV) "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Also if you can stand to sit and read through leviticus, deuteronomy and numbers, you will find that the people were to give a tenth of their flocks, etc to the priests so that they could live. Also, a tenth of the land given to a tribe was set aside for the Levites (priests) to live on. It's bible, not just "church".
Oh, and the verse in Malachi is one of my favorites of money and money giving, so it's on topic.
Okay, let's first get rid of the forgotten italics...
Now, that said, most religious texts do contain advice (laws?) towards how to manage one's money. Much of the advice is sound despite being thousands of years old. However, many religions/churches have taken this out of context for their own purposes. Much like anything else you'd do -- buyer beware.
I was recently visiting my parents and at their church (denomination shall remain unnamed), they were practically SELLING indulgences from the pulpit! "Let your giving here reflect how you wish to be remembered in heaven." Too bad their own religious text comes out strongly against this practice, not that most people in that particular religion bother to go back and read the actual text.
@Eyebrows McGee: Thought you might get a kick out of this one. I know a pastor (protestant) who says most protestants get the whole money thing wrong and that most pastors shouldn't be providing financial advice. Fun to watch him drop that bombshell in the middle of a dinner with other pastors. He used to work in the private sector making $$$$$$$ before "retiring" to ministry.
I've always liked the parable of the three dudes where the one who took a little bit of risk got the most return. The guy who buried his coins got screwed...
trying to close italics...
Great thread, Ben. The Bible has hundreds of verses about money and personal finance. Money and religion discussions are still a tad taboo despite God having so much to say about it. A lot of these verses is the foundation of what Dave Ramsey teaches. For those of you who are Christians, you need to be reading his stuff.
>Luke 14:28-30
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
Here is your "don't buy stuff you can't afford" quote with the all important clause: Know what you can afford.
>Proverbs 21:20
20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,
but a foolish man devours all he has.
Save money.
>Proverbs 6:1-5
"My son, if you have become surety for your friend, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, you are snared by the words of your own mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend; Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird for the hand of the fowler."
Two things here
1 - Co-signing is stupid
2 - Debt is dumb
>Psalms 24:1
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof;..."
Here's the one that will blow your mind. Its all His. We don't 'own' it; we are simply managing it for Him. He has entrusted it to us and we are to be good stewards of what is His.
All great stuff. The entire book of Proverbs is a good place to start reading.
Thats a great one! Matthew 25:14-30, The Parable of the Talents. The servant who hid the 1 Talent in the sand was not a good steward of what he had been entrusted. Its a good parallel for investing. And while some argue that this has nothing to do with money and that the "Talents" are skills blessed upon us, Talents were a monetary unit worth more than a thousand dollars. It still works the other way. But really, its about stewardship.
Theres something in the bible about forgiveness of debts every so many years.
Enjoy.
@timtimes: The year of Jubilee, which is (if I remember quickly) every 49 years. In fact, you can only charge so much for the value of the land due to the proximity of the year of Jubilee (so if it's next year, you're in trouble)
Wouldn't anything old testament be from the Torah? Doesn't that just justify and perpetuate the stereo type of Jewish money management?
Just kidding, I kid, I kid...