Building Your Financial House on God’s Word

Jesus told a famous story about a wise man building his house upon the rock, to withstand storms and calamities (see Matthew 7:24-27). He wanted us to understand that with Him as our solid foundation, our lives could withstand trials. This logic can apply to our financial life, too. So, what would it look like to build a financial house using Christ’s wisdom?

The Unmoving Foundation

To stick with Jesus’ own metaphor, the foundation of our financial house must be Christ Himself.  But what does that mean?

Most people, knowingly or not, will make Mammon—the spirit of wealth—the foundation of their financial house. This idol, however, will lead us straight “into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9). Instead, wise and joyful stewards make Christ the King of our money, recognizing that we, and our resources, belong fully to Him, and are to be used in service of His glorious purposes. (See 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 10:31; Matthew 6:21; Haggai 2:8.)

Sturdy Walls: Our Heart Posture

The four walls of our home define the boundaries of our living space and keep the hostile forces of nature out.

The first wall of a biblical financial house is gratitude, which protects us from the storm of pride.  Pride deceives us into thinking that we’ve earned and deserve every blessing we’ve received, but gratitude reminds us that God alone is our source and supply. Building this wall allows us to live with thanksgiving, rather than self-centeredness. (See 1 Chronicles 29:11-13, Deuteronomy 8:18, and Acts 14:17b.) The second wall is contentment, which protects us from the storm of coveting. Coveting—the restless, consuming desire for more—is such a risk to our hearts that the 10th Commandment is to avoid it! By contrast, Christ enables a joyful posture of peace, which we can access regardless of our financial status or challenges. (See Proverbs 12:30b, 1 Timothy 6:6, and Philippians 4:12-13.) The third wall is trust, which guards us against the storm of anxiety. When we believe that everything rests on our own shoulders, it leaves us anxious about the future. When we rest on God’s promises, however, we can find a peaceful posture of trust. This trust reflects our confidence in our eternal safety, as Christ grants us assurance of eternal life. In our earthly circumstances, He promises to meet our needs as we seek first His kingdom. (See Luke 12:22-34.) The final wall is love, which keeps the winds of indifference from bursting in. When we’re self-absorbed in our financial issues, we have no room to love the world through generosity. But when we rest in Christ’s promises and reflect on what He’s done for us, we overflow with generous love for the world. (See James 2:16, 2 Corinthians 8:2, and Proverbs 11:10a.)

We will all face spiritual money storms of pride, coveting, anxiety, and indifference, but these solid walls will prevent them from destroying our financial house.

A Roof: Knowing Our Identity

To extend our metaphor further, the roof of our financial house is our identity, which rests squarely on the four walls and foundation beneath it. A poorly built financial house will have a roof of ownership—the idea that our money and possessions are ours alone. A wise, biblical house has a roof of stewardship—the idea that the resources are God’s, and we are His assigned manager. This identity helps us make financial decisions which honor the true owner and bring Him glory.

We can handle money with gratitude, contentment, trust, and love, with a steward’s mindset.

Furnishings: Wise Decisions

Most of our daily financial ruminations center on practical decisions, whether big or small.  However, if we’re coveting possessions and viewing our life pridefully, then our financial house has rain pouring in through giant holes in the wall! Before making a purchase or savings decision, we need to fix the walls, by reorienting our heart posture.

With our eyes on Christ, our foundation, we handle money with gratitude, contentment, trust, and love, with a steward’s mindset. From there, our detailed daily decisions begin to fall into place more easily. 

What kinds of decisions will we make, to furnish our ‘financial house’ with wholeness and joy?  Scripture will guide us as we work hard, spend with purpose, minimize debt, save responsibly and wisely, invest with patience and diversification, show eager generosity, and demonstrate joyful hospitality.

This article was published in our Faithful Steward magazine, a quarterly publication filled with encouraging stories, biblical teaching, and practical tools to help you grow as a wise and joyful giver. If you'd like to begin receiving Faithful Steward, consider becoming a FaithFi partner.