These are not entirely mine, just borrowing from one of my personal finance mentor J. Randell Tiongson. It was an article I read from ActLikeaMan.org by Dennis Sy.
It was actually more of an interview with J. Randell Tiongson on where does he get his financial wisdom. And would you believe that like most of my mentors, he also relies on the most reliable book there is – the Bible.
He says that the Bible offers 500 verses on prayers, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions.
Here are the most applicable ones in our daily lives.
On money – “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10,NLT)
On work – “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” (Proverbs 10:4, NIV); “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” (Provebs 6:6, NIV)
On handling money & integrity – “Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10, NIV)
On debt – “Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligations to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.” (Romans 13:8, NLT)
On lifestyle – “Some who are poor pretend to be rich; Others who are rich pretend to be poor.” (Proverbs 13:7, NLT)
On productivity – “Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another – or maybe both.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6, NLT)
On investing (diversification) – “But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.” (Ecclesiastes 11:2, NLT).
On generosity – “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:24-25, NLT)”
On life insurance – “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. “ (Proverbs 13:22 ESV)
One of the most interesting to read is the “Parable of Talents”. Although the word ‘talents’ literally meant money, one can easily extend the meaning to other areas.
Here’s the story:
The Parable of the Talents
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
[ad#content360]After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.”
His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
The man with the two talents also came. “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.”
His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
Then the man who had received the one talent came. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”
His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
“Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
– Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)
What does this story say? First, we are all given with something to start with. Some of us were born from a rich family (with 5 talents), some from middle class (2 talents) and some from a not so well off families (1 talent). But at least, we are all given – it’s what we do with what is given to us that matters.
One might ask, isn’t that unfair? Why not give equal amount of talents to everyone? I’d say, probably that’s because that’s the reality of life. It’s never fair. But then again, it was stressed that what was given was irrelevant. The one with 5 talents and 2 talents were both praised equally and was invited to come and share his happiness.
But what about the one given with 1 talent but did nothing out of it? He was called a wicked and lazy servant. Isn’t that too harsh?
Again, maybe yes. But if you’ll think about it, we could simply look at it this way. If you were given a talent and you did nothing out of it due to laziness, the Lord will not be pleased and take away what was given to you.
Moral lesson of the story – don’t expect life will be equal. Make the most of what was given to you. In the end, the starting point will be irrelevant. It’s not what you have when you started, but what you have gained when you finished.