25 November | Teens

PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE

«For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.» 1 Timothy 6: 10

Who wouldn't want more money, right? Imagine if you received a huge sum of money as a gift: what would you do with it? Would you buy all the toys you've always wanted, travel to amazing places or perhaps put it all in the bank? In 1 Timothy 6:7 to 10, the Bible gives us valuable advice on how we should view money in our lives. First, these verses remind us that we didn't bring anything into this world and we can't take anything out of it when we leave. This means that, ultimately, money is not the most important thing in life.

The Bible also teaches us that it's not wrong to have money. Having money can be good because it helps us take care of ourselves, our family and even help other people. The problem begins when people start to love money more than anything else. Loving money more than the people around us, more than being fair and kind, can lead us to make bad choices. One example is choosing to work non-stop, even on the Sabbath, to earn more money, instead of trusting that God will take care of us and provide us with work that respects our time of rest and worship. Another example is not giving back to God what is His, such as tithes, keeping it all for ourselves. The great principle behind the way we handle money is that we shouldn't love it. We should use money and love people, never the other way around!

Take Action

Create your “piggy bank of emphases.” Whenever you save or earn money, set aside a portion to help someone or for a good cause. This will help you remember that, while having money is good, sharing and caring for others is what can really enrich us.