Children & Money
We are living in precarious times, Everywhere we turn now the buzz word is about making the most money and living the largest life. In our leadership we see people who don’t have money are frowned upon and in church money has been taken as a sign of blessing with the prosperity gospel drawing a lot of youth to church with a promise of riches. Gambling is a crisis in this nation and gambling companies are springing up every day. Greed is so prevalent and yet we know it does not please the Lord. We see in Psalms 62:10 the word says; if riches increase do not set your heart on them.
As believers and parents how do we guide our children so that they don’t fall into the trap of thinking that money is everything in life and in the process have an unhealthy relationship with money at the expense of abundant life in Christ.
We need to our children to get the biblical truth about money because;
1)A relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to happiness and satisfaction in life nothing else!
2) Money forms a big part of our life here on earth. We cannot really do much without it.
3) How we relate with money affects our faith as money brings out pride and arrogance if not understood well which is against the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
4)The love for money competes directly with the love for God in our lives, it can take the place of God in our lives. .
5) An unbalanced view about money will affect our work ethic and also our value system.
6) Our children need to know the Godly way of acquiring wealthworking diligentlyfor it.
We can teach our children the following things about money;
• Contentment is key in handling money(Eccl 5:10-12, pro 15:27, 1 Tim 6:5-10
• Saving and investing in ways that please the master is a blessed way of dealing with wealth, it’s not ours we are just but stewards.
• How to handle debt and what the word says about it
• Asking for guidance from the Lord concerning financial decisions
• The key in God giving us money is for the furtherance of His kingdom
• Self-control on matters money and the fruit of the Holy Spirit
• How to live out our purpose even when God has blessed us with material things
• Budgeting and prudent use of wealth
• Tithing and giving
God has given us the ability to make wealth so that we can enjoy it yes but the most important thing is l that it will give Him Glory and work in furthering his kingdom