Does the Bible have anything to say about saving money? Is there guidance from the Bible about saving for retirement?
The following scriptures from the Bible may at first glance seem to give two different answers about saving money.
The Bible Says Not To Save Money
(Ecclesiastes 2:18) I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
(Mathew 6:19-20) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
(Mathew 6:24) No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
The Bible Says To Save Money
(Proverbs 6:6-8) Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
(Proverbs 13:11) Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
(Proverbs 13:22) A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Save Or Not To Save, Which One Is It?
It’s always important to understand what the context of any given scripture is, along with searching all of the Bible when looking for answers about a subject. These verses from the Bible actually help to give us the balanced perspective we need to have about saving money and saving for retirement.
The Parable Of The Rich Fool
Before he tells the “Parable of the Rich Fool”, Jesus gives a warning about greed, saying life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
The parable involves a rich man who finds himself with an abundant harvest, but no place to store all of his crops. He decides to tear his barns down, build bigger ones, and store all of his extra grains. The rich man says he will then tell himself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink, and be merry.” God then says, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21)
With the underlined words of Jesus, we find the key to saving money and saving for retirement.
Be Wise Like The Ant And Save For Retirement
It is certainly wise to have a rainy day fund. One never knows when the flat tire is coming, or when the refrigerator will not want to cool anymore. We also have no idea how long we will live on this earth. As the ant stored up provisions in (Proverbs 6:6-8), there is great wisdom in us saving money for retirement. For some, this is the day when they are no longer able to physically work. The more ideal situation is saving our money for early retirement that frees us up to devote more of our time to God in some form of ministry.
Saving money and accumulating wealth becomes a problem for people when the reasons for saving are for their own greedy purposes. When there is no thought towards God about how we could use our wealth to further his kingdom, especially when we are blessed with an abundance, we are not rich toward God.
Don’t Be A Greedy Pig
In (Proverbs 13:22), the Bible says a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. It makes it clear there is nothing wrong with saving some of what God blesses us with. Whether it be for those unseen emergencies, for that retirement, and even for an inheritance, always stay rich toward God and never let the greedy little pig get the best of you!
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