Sound Financial Decisions

Prov 12:9 MSG) Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process.

This morning we continue our series In this verse Solomon contrasts those that live within their means, even if it means living modestly, with those that live to impress others, even if it means putting up a façade. This is great advice today, especially with the current state of the US economy. Many get caught up in "keeping up with the Jones' " and don't realize the long term detrimental affects that poor financial decisions and poor spending habits can have on themselves, their children and even their children's children.

In Biblical times your family name was very important (and it still should be today). Families that were well off had servants. Abraham, for example, had over 300 servants. In Solomon's day, if you had servants, those servants were part of your household and therefore your responsibility. When you took on servants you took on the responsibility to care and feed for them, in addition to your own direct family.

Other translations of this text mention servants, because some people back then would rather keep a servant, to maintain a certain level of status within the community, even when they knew they could not properly provide the for servant and their own family.

Some would rather starve than to be honest about their financial condition. The pride of maintaining a their family name and their family tradition led some men to make every attempt to "look the part" in public, while they were literally starving at home. Instead of releasing their servants and living within their means, their pride kept them bound in a bad situation.

Today the issue is not servants, but the problem still exists nonetheless. Keeping up with the Jones' is a serious issue for many. A parallel today would be the person that buys a big house, but then can't afford to put furniture in it. I have driven by many nice homes with sheets in the windows. Why buy a home with a mortgage so high that you can't even afford curtains?

The answer is pride. The allure of the neighborhood, and unscrupulous lenders, have drawn many families into making poor decisions. The same can be said for the person who bought the luxury car, but then can't afford the gas. Their car looks nice, but it has to sit on the driveway.

The Good News Bible translation of this verse says, "It is better to be an ordinary person working for a living than to play the part of someone great but go hungry." In the next chapter Solomon plainly says, "Some people pretend to be rich but have nothing" (Prov 13:7).

So what does this mean to you? The message is simple this morning: live within your means and be thankful for what you have. You don't have to keep up with anyone. I am a person that likes nice things, but I seem to like them more when I pay cash.

When I grew up I did not know anything about debt. I had a low financial IQ and I made my share of mistakes. But thankfully I learned from them and I was able to get out of bad debt.

Solomon is very practical this morning. If he were sitting here, I believe he would say (in modern English): "Spend less than you make; live to please God, not others; make sure that you practice the BIG TWO: giving and saving (both short and long term); and be at peace with yourself. If you are at peace with yourself, you won't feel undue pressure from others to make poor financial decisions."

Father, I thank You for teaching me Your Word in personal and practical ways. I will apply this Word, I will live by sound financial principles, I will live within my means, I will be both a giver and a saver, and I will only be concerned with living up to YOUR standard. I resist any pressure from society. I don't have to keep up with anyone. I make Godly decisions about my finances and I am able to live the strong, stable and secure life You desire for me to live; so that I can leave and inheritance to my children's children! In Jesus' name. Amen!