The Proverbs and the Idea of Money

By: Greg Herrick Th.M., Ph.D.

Introduction
The Proverbs have a great deal to say about money and related topics such as giving, poverty,
righteousness and isdom. The purpose o! this study is to narroly !ocus upon the issue o! money
and ealth in order to dra out, !rom the vast material in Proverbs, principles to help us in
maintaining a Biblical li!estyle in relation to money.
A Representative List of Verses
3:", #$% 8:#&'(#% 1:),#*, #+, ((% 11:), ()'(+, (&% 13:,, &, ##, (#, ((% 1!:($, (-, ()% 1":+,#+, (,%
1#:&% 1$:+% 18:##, (-% 1%:), ,% &1:*, #,% &&:#, (, ), ,, ", #+% &3:), *% &$:()% &8:+, &, ##, ((, (*%
3:&% 31:#&.
Princip'es fro( the Proverbs on Money
)onor *od +ith your +ea'th,
Prioriti.e your giving% give to Him !irst /-:"0.
God ill o!ten bless people materially ho give !irst to him /-:#$% #-:(#0.
Lesson 1- 1hen it comes to money, put God !irst /Matt. +:()0.
Re(e(ber that +isdo( is (ore i(portant than (oney,
1isdom o!ten brings enduring ealth /&:#&, (#0.
1isdom yields better !ruit than money /&:($0.
1isdom enables one to rightly use money /#,:#+0.
1isdom gives one proper restraint in the pursuit o! money /(-:)0.
Lesson &- 2sk God !or isdom in dealing ith money /c!. 3ames #:*0.
Re(e(ber that ri.hteousness is (ore i(portant than (oney,
4ighteous people can have great riches that involve no trouble /#*:+0.
2 poor, but blameless man /i.e. one ho is righteous0 is better o!! /i.e. be!ore God0 than a
rich, but perverse man /(&:+0.
God o!ten reards the righteous ith money /#-:(#0.
5t is better to have a little money ith righteousness than much ith in6ustice /#+:&0.
Lesson 3- 7eek uprightness in money matters /c!. ( 8or. &:(#0.
Re(e(ber that fearin. *od is (ore i(portant than (oney,
9earing God is better than a lot o! money /#*:#+0
Humility and the !ear o! God o!ten leads to the ac:uisition o! money /((:)0.
Lesson !- 4emember to hom e must give an account /4om. #):#$0;
Peop'e/ di'i.ent at +hat they do/ often ac0uire (uch +ea'th,
Diligent people, in contrast to la.y people, o!ten have more money /#$:)0.
2ll hard ork brings a pro!it hereas mere talk accomplishes nothing /#):(-0.
2c:uiring ealth takes diligent planning% anything less may end up in ruin /(#:*0.
People ho cannot control their spending habits end up ith nothing /(#:#,0.
Lesson "- Plan !or your !inancial !uture as !ar as it depends upon you.
Reco.ni1e the 'i(itations of (oney,
Money can do nothing to deliver someone !rom the rath o! God /##:)0.
Money is very temporal and lasts but a short time /(-:*% (,:()0.
Money cannot be trusted in !or it ill lead to one<s don!all /##:(&0. Trust, instead, in God
/(&:(*0.
Lesson #- Be sober about money% keep it in perspective /# Tim. +:+'#$0;
Reco.ni1e the potentia' for .ood that (oney proper'y used can have,
Money can provide protection !rom certain problems and alleviate certain stresses /#$: #*0.
Money can be le!t as an inheritance to help one<s descendants in this li!e /#-:((0.
2n industrious i!e can make su!!icient money to help he !amily /-#:#&0.
Lesson $- Be prepared to use your money to good ends /c!. Phil. ):#)0.
Reco.ni1e and avoid the evi' that (oney can cause in re'ationships,
4ich people tend to receive more attention !rom others than poor people do. There is o!ten
!avoritism /#):($% c!. 3ames (:##!!0.
5! you are rich, be care!ul o! people ho desire your !riendship /#":)a0.
5! you are poor, do not be surprised i! people abandon you !or a rich !riend /#":)b% c!.
#":,0.
Those ith money o!ten become the target o! thieves et al. /#-:&0.
The poor person can o!ten see through the !acade o! the rich person ho thinks he knos it
all /(&:##0.
2 good reputation ith people is better than much money /((:#0.
Because o! money people o!ten try to pretend to be something they<re not% they live a lie
/#-:,0.
4ich people o!ten =lord it over= poor people /((:,0.
Lesson 8- The rich and the poor must remember that God made them both /((:(0% humility is the
order o! the day.
*ivin. .enerous'y often 'eads to ac0uirin. further +ea'th and spiritua' benefits/
but poverty a+aits the stin.y,
Generosity, not stinginess o!ten leads to having more money /##:()0.
Generosity o!ten leads to the giver being spiritually re!reshed /##:(*0.
Those ho are stingy o!ten end up ith nothing /##:()b%##:(+b% (&:((0.
Lesson %- Give generously /( 8or. ":+, ,0.
Money .ained by un2ust (eans 'eads to nau.ht/ +hereas the (onetary b'essin.
of *od brin.s no troub'e,
Money gained by dishonest means dindles aay !ast /#-:##0.
People ho oppress others !or money can come to poverty because o! it /((:#+a0.
Lesson 1- >arn your money honestly /c!. 2cts ():#+% ( Thes. -:,'"0.
3e carefu' for .reed,
Greed !or money can lead to !amily problems /#*:(,0.
Do not charge e?orbitant interest% 6ustice ill prevail /(&:&0.
2sk God !or the proper amount o! money /-$:&0.
Lesson 11- 7earch your heart be!ore God that you might be aare o! any greed /c!. >ph *:-0.
4u((ary
4emember that a biblical vie o! money begins by a commitment to honoring God !irst ith our
money /50. Then e must keep in mind that isdom, righteousness and the !ear o! God are more
important than money /55'5@0 and ill enable us to per!orm the !irst principle more ade:uately, as
ell as the others /@'A50.