Budgeting: Your First Step to Start Well

At the close of the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus makes a startling statement:

“So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own?” Luke 16:11-12 (CSB)

God has charged us to be good stewards of the financial resources he gives us. How we manage our finances in this life has an eternal impact! Serving the Lord well in all aspects of this life on earth is practice for serving him in eternity.

Good stewardship begins with good planning. When it comes to wisely stewarding our financial resources, the way to start well is with a financial budget.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. Proverbs 21:5 (CSB)

At its most basic, a budget is simply a tool to help you account and plan for the money coming in and going out.

For some, the thought of budgeting invokes a frightful vision of complex software and spreadsheets. While many helpful and affordable packages and apps are available, for many, a simple pen and notebook are enough. The process of budgeting is simple, but the benefits are multiple.

Ultimately, a budget can remind us that our finances are God’s gift to us. The author of Ecclesiastes wrote:

Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God… Ecclesiastes 5:19 (CSB)

Our culture celebrates autonomy and independence and applauds people for “having it all.” But the Bible reminds us that everything we have is on loan from God. He even gave us the ability to earn our paychecks.

When we sit down with our budget to calculate the money flowing in and out, we're watching God provide for us. A budget reminds us to thank the Lord for his provision as we see our daily, weekly and monthly needs met.

Not sure where to start? Check out our helpful financial planning calculators, including our home budget calculator. Also, browse and watch our webinars for tips on money management and good financial stewardship.

At GuideStone®, we want every servant of Christ to finish well. Our mission is to enhance the financial security and resilience for those who serve the Lord.

For more information, contact us at Info@GuideStone.org or 1-888-98-GUIDE (1-888-984-8433), Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT to speak with a customer solutions specialist.

Tags:

BudgetingStart WellMinistersRetirementInvestments