How God Teaches Us to be Savers

God built lessons about saving into creation itself. He designed certain animals to teach humans about planning and preparation. Solomon wrote: Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8). The ant doesn't have a supervisor standing over her, demanding she work. She sees summer coming and knows winter will follow. She prepares accordingly. God points to this tiny creature and says, "Learn from her."

The story of Joseph in Egypt illustrates this principle on a grand scale. God revealed to Pharaoh through dreams that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advised Pharaoh to save one-fifth of the grain during the good years so Egypt would survive the bad years (Genesis 41). This wisdom saved Egypt and the surrounding nations from starvation. God gave warning. Joseph responded with a plan. Saving made the difference between life and death.

What Prevents Us from Saving Wisely

Several dangers destroy our ability to save in ways that honor God. Debt enslaves us: The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender (Proverbs 22:7). When we owe money, we lose freedom. Our income belongs to our creditors before it belongs to us. This makes saving nearly impossible because we're constantly paying for yesterday's decisions.

Love of money corrupts our motives for saving. Paul warned Timothy that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils (1 Timothy 6:10). We can save money for good reasons or bad ones. When we love money, saving becomes hoarding. We accumulate because we trust wealth more than we trust God.

Pride in riches deceives us into thinking our savings make us secure. Paul told Timothy to charge the rich not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). A healthy bank account can make us feel safe when we should be depending on God.

Stinginess hoards without purpose. Solomon observed that sometimes riches were kept by their owner to his hurt (Ecclesiastes 5:13). We can save so much that we harm ourselves, refusing to use what we have when we should. Greed consumes whatever it touches, taking away the life of those who chase unjust gain (Proverbs 1:19). Slothfulness wastes opportunities to save because laziness leads to poverty (Proverbs 19:15). Hoarding grasps for security in earthly treasures that moth and rust destroy (Matthew 6:19).

Why Christians Should Save

God himself prepares for the future. Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them: In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (John 14:2). God plans ahead. He saves something for us that we'll need later. This models the wisdom of preparation.

God's salvation includes a guaranteed inheritance. Paul wrote that in him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11). God has set aside something for his people. He's saving it for the right time.

Any ability we have to save comes as a gift from God. James reminds us that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). We don't save through our own cleverness or discipline alone. God enables us to set aside resources for the future.

This means our savings carry a purpose beyond ourselves. Paul told the Ephesians that thieves should stop stealing and instead work so that he may have something to share with anyone in need (Ephesians 4:28). We save so we can give. We prepare so we can help. The writer of Proverbs agrees: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it (Proverbs 3:27). Saving gives us the power to do good when opportunities arise.

Christians should also save to leave an inheritance. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children (Proverbs 13:22). Wise saving allows us to provide for future generations and prepare for needs we can see coming. God teaches us to save through his wisdom in Scripture, through warnings about the dangers of both poverty and hoarding, and through promises that he will provide what we need. Saving well reflects trust in God's provision while preparing for tomorrow's needs and opportunities to serve others.