What would you do if...

• A tree in your yard fell and caused several thousands of dollars in damage to your home?
• Your employer cut your hours by 25%?
• Your child fell and broke her wrist requiring surgery for her and time away from work for you?

Every Christian family should have a readily accessible contingency fund with enough cash to weather an emergency. The Bible has specific guidance in this important financial area. This challenging article studies two key Bible passages and asks the questions, "Will you be prudent or punished?" and "Is saving at odds with living by faith?"

PRUDENT OR PUNISHED? YOUR CHOICE.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
-Proverbs 22:3

A prudent man is a man of understanding. He understands truth. Because he is a man of understanding he is looking ahead and by virtue of doing so, he foresees a calamity (evil) coming down the path of life toward him. Recognizing the potential for damage or destruction he takes action to avoid the calamity (he hides himself from it). It passes by causing no harm to him, and his wise preparations have spared his life.

In contrast, the simple man is naïve and unaware, and thus, he is not looking ahead. The same calamity is coming toward him, and because he does not see it, it overcomes him suddenly, damaging or destroying him. The lesson is illustrated in Proverbs 7:7-23 with the end result of a dart to the liver! Ouch! The striking and tragic thing about the simple man's calamity is that it was completely preventable. We cannot see every tragic turn of life coming, but the Bible clearly instructs Christians to prepare for those dangers that are foreseeable.

Will you be prudent or punished? The choice is up to you! Are you saving for emergencies? Do you have adequate life insurance to protect your family? Are you saving for retirement? All of these "evils" are foreseeable and preventable through God's supply of wisdom and resources!

IS SAVING AT ODDS WITH “LIVING BY FAITH?”

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
-Proverbs 21:20

Planning ahead by saving for emergencies is not sinful self-reliance; it is God-commanded prudence! Part of God’s plan to meet the needs of his beloved children when extra expenses arise is through the provision of extra resources and the wisdom to reserve them before tragedy strikes.

"But if I save, am I still living by faith?" Of course! The Christian who saves is no more responsible for the creation of his resource than was Joseph for the 7 years of plenty in Egypt—but his prudent forethought perceived in God’s provision of abundance that leaner years may follow. Our sovereign God always provides, whether His help comes “just in time” or years in advance of an emergency only He knows is coming. The issue is timing. Will you have the faith to learn Bible truth and apply it to your life?

Consider the rich man of Proverbs 21:20. Where did his desirable treasures and oil come from? The answer is plain from the contrast: he conserved his resources by purposefully not spending everything he earned. Living by faith is not living hand-to-mouth! The Bible says only a fool spends his whole paycheck.

Look at the verse again closely; was the man with treasure and oil said to be rich? No! He was described only as wise! Saving is not just for “rich” Christians. Saving is the wise practice of all prudent believers who live by faith.

Are you foolishly living hand-to-mouth, or have you purposefully budgeted your spending to build a reserve for leaner times?

This phrase from the familiar hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, encapsulates the tragedy and futility of suffering through foreseeable and avoidable losses: