Pastors often preach that God is able to meet our needs. But sometimes the greatest test of that belief comes when finances are tight.
When I was a young married man, I saved nothing. I tithed, gave an offering, and spent the rest. I often joked, “God pays better interest than the Second National Bank.” If we had a few extra dollars after paying bills, I’d take my wife Krisy out to eat. I was making car payments and carrying credit card debt equal to nearly a month’s salary.
Then one day, two verses from Proverbs changed my thinking—and my life:
“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up” (Proverbs 21:20).
“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just” (Proverbs 13:22).
Those verses taught me two simple but life-changing truths:
First, the reason I didn’t have any money was because I spent it all.
That may not sound profound, but it was revolutionary to me. No one can save anything unless they spend less than they make. While God is able to meet our needs, He expects us to steward wisely what He provides.
Second, I realized I could be neither wise nor good if I left nothing behind for the next generation.
My father-in-law, a financially prudent man, gave me advice that changed the way I handled money. He told me to make double payments on my smallest bill until it was paid off, then apply that amount to the next smallest bill, and so on until I was debt free. (He taught me this over fifty years ago, long before I ever heard it called “the snowball method.”)
As I began following biblical principles and my father-in-law’s counsel, I also started teaching our congregation what I was learning. I encouraged our members to avoid debt for items that don’t appreciate in value. I wanted them to be financially strong for their own families, not just so our church could be debt free. Financially weak members seldom make a financially strong church.
When I counseled individuals who were struggling financially, I used a simple system that was almost always successful: worked:
- Gather the facts. We listed every bill, expense, and source of income.
- Track every payment. I had them keep a notebook with one page per expense—like a checkbook ledger—with columns for date, deposit, withdrawal, and balance.
- Divide and set aside. We divided monthly expenses by four and set that amount aside weekly.
- Withdraw for payments. When a bill came due, they withdrew from that specific account.
- Limit discretionary spending. Whatever was left after all “deposits” was their only spending money for the week.
- Build a surplus. Since there are fifty-two weeks in a year, setting aside money weekly meant that four times a year they “overpaid” their expenses—creating a small cushion for emergencies.
- Adjust if necessary. If income truly wasn’t sufficient, we discussed a temporary consolidation loan or additional income sources.
In forty-four years of pastoring, I only had one family I couldn’t help. When we went over their finances, I said, “You’re giving too much.”
They smiled and said, “No, that’s just what it comes to—our tithe, our missions, and our building fund offering.”
“Are you sure God wants you to give that much?” I asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
“Well then,” I said, “I can’t help you—but you’ll be all right.”
And they were. Not long after, they purchased a nicer home. Later, the husband started a business. Today they’re financially stable and still generous to the Lord, who continues to bless them.
That family reminded me of something I’ve seen again and again: God is able—able to meet our needs, to give wisdom when finances are tight, and to bless those who honor Him with their resources. Wise stewardship doesn’t limit God’s provision; it positions us to see it.
This article originally appeared in Issue 39 of the Baptist Voice. To read the full digital edition, click here:
