One of my favorite (by that I mean, books that punch me in the gut every time I read it) books on money is The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. I’ve read it many times and each time I glean something fresh from the way Alcorn handles God’s Word about stewardship. I would encourage you to read it.
In the book, Alcorn lists the following principles that the Bible teaches about money. I hope this will help you get into the book for yourself.
- God owns everything. I’m his money manager. This is a freeing look at everything we have. It doesn’t belong to me. However, I am called to faithfully steward what God has graciously provided. God provides. I am to faithfully manage.
- My heart always goes where I put God’s money. The way I spend my money is a testimony of where my heart is. You can look at my checking account and tell what I value. This principle is inescapable.
- Heaven, not earth, is my home. Alcorn has written extensively about the eternal state. This principle reminds us that everything we own will one day be gone except what we have invested in the kingdom. This gives followers of Jesus a guide on how we should think about our spending.
- I should live not for the dot but for the line. This life will pass quickly. Eternity is long. We should see our lives here as a preparation for our life to come. The way we spend the money entrusted to us needs to be influenced by where we will spend the majority of our existence – in the life to come.
- Giving is the only antidote to materialism. Alcorn writes about the call to generosity as a means to kill the love of money. Try it and see.
- God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving. What a glorious concept! Though God desires for us to enjoy what he has richly provided, He blesses us with more not so that we can necessarily spend more on us, but so that we can better invest what we have been given for the work of the kingdom. We are the stewards of His money. He gives to us so that we can be a conduit of blessing for the sake of His name.
I hope you will read the book. It’s less than 100 pages, but loaded with life changing truths about the way we handle our finances.
