Five Lessons from Bible Verses About not Wasting Money

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God’s Word gives us practical wisdom for all areas of life including our finances. There are many Bible verses about not wasting money that can help us be better stewards. Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn how to avoid wasting money.

Most people throughout history have wanted necessities, but the more common problem today is having too much stuff. In the past, people wanted food and clothing, but we have too many clothes and overeat food. Mark Twain once defined civilization as “a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.”¹ We spend too much money and accumulate too much stuff. Unsurprisingly, storage space facilities are one of the fastest-growing industries. An article titled “Self-storage: How Warehouses for Personal Junk Became a $38 Billion Industry” reads:

Despite recessions and demographic shifts, few building types have boomed like self-storage lockers. The self-storage industry made $32.7 billion in 2016, nearly three times Hollywood’s box office gross. Self-storage has seen 7.7 percent annual growth since 2012, and now employs 144,000 nationwide. One in eleven Americans pays an average of $91.14 per month to use self-storage. The United States has more than fifty thousand facilities and roughly 2.31 billion square feet of rentable space. To give that perspective, the volume of self-storage units in the country could “fill the Hoover Dam twenty-six times with old clothing, skis, and keepsakes.

When I drive down the road and pass storage units, I wonder what’s in them that people don’t need and can’t easily access but still feel the need to keep. How many owners are still paying off the credit cards they used to buy that stuff in the first place?

Typically, when we have too much stuff, we should recognize two things: First, we are spending too much money. Second, we don’t have an income problem; we have a spending problem.

If we have spending problems but blame our income, this creates another problem. We don’t make appropriate changes because we blame the wrong place: We blame our income when we should blame ourselves. We complain about our paychecks when we should handle our finances differently.

Even people with low incomes can still enjoy commodities that years ago would’ve been considered luxuries—cell phones, cars, computers, televisions. Most of us can comfortably live off much less if we avoid the spending problems that plague us. I use the word most because some people work hard and are financially wise yet still struggle to make ends meet. For the rest of us, let’s figure out how to make our money go further by examining the most common spending problems.

1. Bible Verses About not Wasting Money Teach Us Small Purchases Add Up

Sometimes, we struggle financially because of large purchases costing thousands of dollars. More often, though, we struggle because of our small purchases over several years. These frequent expenditures take place without a second thought for three reasons:

• Small purchases are easier to justify—we can tell ourselves, “It is only five dollars…or ten dollars…or twenty dollars,” without considering that, over time, this adds up to thousands of dollars.
• Small purchases don’t seem detrimental—we recognize how tragic it is to waste thousands of dollars, but it’s much more challenging to recognize the damage caused by wasting a few dollars. We would probably be surprised to learn how much we have spent on small purchases we thought had little effect on our finances.
• Small purchases don’t look wrong—we don’t think eating out, going to the movies, or swinging by the coffee shop is all that bad, so spending a lot through many small expenditures is easy.

It’s surprising how easily people struggling financially will justify their small expenditures. Scripture does not condemn these purchases, but it condemns purchases we can’t afford. We can spend our money the ways I’ve listed above, but not if we don’t have the money.

AMC Entertainment is America’s most popular movie theater chain. Using their prices, the average movie costs $26 per person (ticket $11, soda $6, and popcorn $9). This is over $50 for a couple, and as kids are added, the price quickly reaches $100. How can this be justified when a movie rental or subscription service is a fraction of the price?

Then, there are the high-end coffee outlets. Imagine a man we will call Joe. On Joe’s way to work each morning, he spends five dollars on coffee. If he does this for five years, it will cost him almost $7,000. Then, imagine Joe starts to struggle financially. A caring friend tries to talk to Joe about his casual spending. Sadly, Joe responds that he has an income problem: “If only I made more money, then I wouldn’t be in this predicament. The problem is my boss doesn’t pay me enough.”

Joe’s friend tries to press in a little more and draw his attention to his daily coffee purchases, but Joe responds, “It is only five bucks. There’s no way these purchases could be the problem. Quit judging me. You can’t tell me that I can’t buy coffee! Where does Scripture forbid that?”

These examples may seem harmless because they involve movies and coffee. But the point is that many small purchases add up. Imagine what happens when you add up all the other small purchases, such as eating out or grabbing that extra item you don’t need at the store.

2. Bible Verses About not Wasting Money Teach Us to Avoid Worthless Purchases

By “worthless,” I don’t mean the item has no value. If that were the case, hopefully, we wouldn’t have purchased it in the first place. I’m referring to the item’s value to us years, months, weeks, or sometimes even days ahead. If the item is valuable at the moment but will have no value to us in the future, it has been a worthless purchase.

Let me illustrate this by sharing something I used to witness when I was a schoolteacher. Because I was a Christian, I used to be concerned with my students’ academics and character. I taught math, reading, and writing, but I also tried to spend time teaching about forgiveness, honesty, hard work, and generosity.

I had the opportunity to discuss finances with my students a few times each year. One regular opportunity occurred before field trips. Kids at museums, aquariums, or tourist attractions are tempted to waste their money on souvenirs. I would tell my students:

Do not waste your money on any items you see in the shops. If you do, let me tell you precisely what will happen. You will buy something, be excited about it for a short period—probably only a few hours, but maybe only a few minutes—and then lose interest. Each year, at the end of field trips, I walk down the aisle and see these souvenirs left in their seats after the students exit the bus when we return to the school. They had already gotten bored of their purchases. I don’t want you to make the same mistake.

These were worthless purchases. It is easy to listen to this story and pass judgment on students, but how often do we do the same thing as adults? How often have we bought something and forgotten about it a week or two later? How much stuff do we have in our homes that isn’t being used for any good reason? If we’re honest, most of us would be surprised—and probably embarrassed—by the number of purchases we’ve made that provide no lasting benefit. And these worthless purchases add up.

3. Bible Verses About not Wasting Money Teach Us to Resist Self-Entitlement

Before we jump into this ng warning, let me remind you that one of the purposes of the Old Testament is to provide examples for us to learn from. Romans 15:4 says, “Whatever things were written before [referring to the Old Testament] were written for our learning.” First Corinthians 10:6 and 11 say, “These things [in the Old Testament] became our examples…these things [in the Old Testament] happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition.”

The Old Testament provides a backdrop for New Testament instruction. Some individuals serve as positive examples through their obedience, while others serve as negative examples through their disobedience. Let’s consider three people who serve as examples of the danger of self-entitlement.

Eve’s Entitlement

Satan has many names in Scripture: prince of darkness, prince of the power of the air, prince of this world, and another fitting title would be “prince of entitlement.” When he tempted Eve, he said, “God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

In essence, Satan said, “God does not want you to be like Him or know as much as Him. He’s always telling you what not to do. You deserve to be happy. Do what you want!” The devil tried to make Eve feel entitled, and it worked.

Amnon’s Entitlement

David had a son, Amnon, who desired his half-sister, Tamar. Amnon knew it was wrong to pursue her, but he did not control his mind and take his thoughts captive. He lusted after her until he made himself sick, even to the point of losing weight. An evil man, Jonadab, helped Amnon devise a plan to have his way with Tamar. He began by saying, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?” (2 Samuel 13:4).

Essentially, Jonadab said, “You are the king’s son. You should have what you want. You should not have to go without. If you want her, you should take her.” Jonadab made Amnon feel so entitled that he raped Tamar.

King Ahab’s Entitlement

King Ahab wanted a vineyard that belonged to Naboth, a godly man. Naboth would not give Ahab the vineyard, so Ahab pouted. First Kings 21:4 says he “went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him…And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food.”

Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, came to him and said, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite” (verse 7). Jezebel said, “You are the king of Israel. If you want this vineyard, you should have it!” Jezebel made Ahab feel so entitled that he murdered Naboth and took his vineyard.

Beware of Self-Entitlement from Any Source

All three individuals—Eve, Amnon, and Ahab—gave in to temptation because they felt entitled. This serves as a warning for those times when we feel entitled. Often, this temptation comes from our flesh telling us, “You shouldn’t have to go without. Other people have this, and you should, too. Reward yourself. You’ve earned it!” Often, all we’ve earned is a worse financial situation.

Other times, temptation comes from a friend, like Jonadab with Amnon, or a family member, like Jezebel with Ahab. Those closest to us might mean well, but they hurt us when they say, “Everyone wants you to have this, and you should have it too. You owe it to yourself to be happy.”

Regardless of the source of the temptation, we need to be on guard against statements that make us feel entitled. Many people are in debt, with little savings, simply because of these three words: “I deserve this.”

4. Bible Verses About not Wasting Money Teach Us to Be Patient

We don’t like to wait. When we want something, we want it now. In contrast, Scripture calls us to be patient and informs us of patience’s benefits. Here are a few examples:

• Patience allows our prayers to be answered: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1).
• Patience is a source of strength: “Those who wait on the L_ord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
• Patience permits fruit to be produced in our lives: “[The seed] that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).
• Patience provides spiritual maturity: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).
• Patience helps us learn and prevents us from saying things we shouldn’t: “Let every man be swift to hear, slow [or patient] to speak” (James 1:19).

Finances are one area in which patience can be beneficial. Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.” The hardworking have an abundance, but the impatient end up poor. Many people admit giving in to four words that have led to bad financial decisions: “I want it now!” The issue is instant gratification. Rushing into a purchase often leads to regret later. Let’s consider another example from the Old Testament.

5. Bible Verses About not Wasting Money Teach Us to Understand “Good Deals”

Have you ever noticed that whenever you want to buy something, regardless of the season of the year or your geographic location, you can find a “good deal”? It is not a coincidence! I was a business major in college. I took marketing and learned that successful salespeople make customers think they’re getting a good deal when they are not. If sellers always gave buyers great deals, they wouldn’t stay in business.

Proverbs 20:14 says, “‘It is good for nothing,’ cries the buyer, but when he has gone his way, then he boasts.” We try to spend less money by complaining to the seller that the item is not worth the price, but after buying it, we brag that it was a good deal. Consider the times you have heard people discuss their purchases. How often have they said, “What was I thinking? I paid way too much and got ripped off!” Instead, you hear, “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You would not believe the deal I got!” Listening to how many people talk about spending money, you wonder how any retailer can stay in business. You would think every salesperson should be fired because they’re practically giving everything away to the great bargain hunters.

But let me suggest: Regardless of how attractive a deal looks if you must take on debt, don’t make the purchase. Without the money, it is not a good deal for you. You might be tempted to say, “If I don’t get this now, I’ll never find this good deal again.” That’s probably not the case. With patience, you’ll probably find another good deal when you have the money to purchase.

Jesus’s Example

We must look no further than our Savior to increase our motivation to obey this teaching. Consider the following from when He was tempted:

When the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread…If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:3, 6).

The devil was not doubting whether Jesus was the Son of God. Instead, he was trying to make Jesus feel entitled. Often, when the Bible uses the word if it means “since” or “because,” it is as though the devil said, “Because You are the Son of God, You should not have to be hungry. You should not have to go through this. Throw Yourself down so the angels can catch You, and all this will be over.”

The devil sounded like Jonadab. Jonadab said, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner daily? You should have what you want!” Satan said, “Why are You, the Son of God, becoming thinner day after day out here in the wilderness? Turn these stones into bread, so You have something to eat!”

Jesus’s Self-Denial

Just as Jonadab wanted to make Amnon feel entitled, the devil wanted to make Jesus feel entitled. If anyone could ever be entitled, it was Jesus! As the Son of God, He should have what He wants when He wants it; He should not have to go without. He could have said no to discomfort, but “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). He denied Himself for us.

Contrast what the devil said to Jesus and what Jonadab said to Amnon with what Jesus says to us: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). While these words do not directly apply to finances, they have plenty of indirect application. We will have victory over self-entitlement when we obey Jesus’s words.

Jesus’s Patience

As we consider the devil’s temptation of Jesus, we’re reminded of Esau. Matthew 4:2 says Jesus “fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” Jesus was much hungrier than Esau. Like Esau, Jesus was also going to eat again. The Father’s plan for the Son was that He die on the cross, not starve to death in the wilderness. The devil’s real temptation was, “You do not have to be patient. Eat now. Don’t wait!”

The difference between Jesus and Amnon is that Jesus resisted the temptation to be entitled. He denied Himself. The difference between Jesus and Esau is that Jesus resisted the temptation to be impulsive. He was patient. As Amnon and Esau show us what not to do, Jesus shows us what to do.

When you need the encouragement to be disciplined with your finances, put off spending problems, and avoid purchases that displease God, focus on Jesus. Meditate on His self-denial and patience. He was the model for us in His earthly life, “leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

1. Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Luke 1-13): Let the World Know That Jesus Cares (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010), 163. ↩︎