08/26/2024
By Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"State of the Flocks and Floating Checks"
Proverbs 21:20 "Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it."
Will Rogers once said, “Too many spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.” Sadly, that’s how many people handle their finances today.
Proverbs 27:23 offers us some timeless advice: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.” Now, most of us aren’t farmers or shepherds, but this verse still applies. It’s a reminder to pay attention to our finances and know where our money is going. How can we honor God with our money if we don’t even know what’s happening to it each month? If we’re not careful, we could end up like the people in Haggai 1:6 who were putting their money into a bag with holes.
I remember a time when my wife and I had to borrow $1,000 from my grandparents to hire a lawyer for a $10,000 bond claim. When the bond finally came through, we were so excited to repay them. We wrote out a check and drove straight to their house. But as we got out of the car, my wife accidentally dropped the check. Suddenly, a gust of wind picked it up, and we found ourselves chasing it across the street and into a wooded area. I’m sure we looked ridiculous to anyone watching! Thankfully, we caught it before it disappeared completely.
At the moment, there was a sense of panic—not just because of the check itself, but because it represented something deeper: the hard-earned money we borrowed and the responsibility to return it. It was a tangible reminder of how, even when we try to take control, life can take unexpected turns. Yet, in the chaos, God remains steady, just as He remained steady for us that day.
But there’s a deeper lesson here. God entrusts us with resources every month, expecting us to use them wisely for His kingdom. Just like the money we borrowed from my grandparents, the money God gives us belongs to Him. We have a responsibility to manage it according to His will—not to waste it or let it slip through our fingers. The Bible warns us about the dangers of careless stewardship. If we don’t manage our spiritual “flocks” wisely, we risk finding ourselves in spiritual poverty, much like the people in Haggai 1:6 who saw their efforts evaporate because they weren’t rooted in God’s guidance.
Questions to Consider:
- Proverbs 6:6-8 talks about the ants and their hard work. What can we learn from them about saving money?
- Think about the story of Egypt in Genesis 41:35-36. What might have happened if they hadn’t followed God’s instructions to save during the years of plenty?
Even when we are wise stewards, life can throw unexpected challenges our way—just like that gust of wind with our check. But when we commit to being faithful with what we’ve been given, we can trust that God will continue to provide, just as He has always done, even when things seem to be slipping out of our hands.
Practical Steps:
- Review Your Finances as a Spiritual Exercise: Take some time this week to review your finances—not just the numbers but your heart toward them. Pray over your spending and saving habits, asking God to reveal where He wants you to be more diligent. Consider it a spiritual act of stewardship.
- Reflect on God’s Provision: Reflect on times when God has provided for you in unexpected ways. How did those experiences shape your trust in Him? Write them down as a reminder of His faithfulness.
When we align our financial habits with God’s wisdom, we find ourselves in a place of peace, knowing that we are not just managing money but honoring God with what He has entrusted to us. Let's strive to be like the wise man in Proverbs 21:20, whose dwelling is filled with "precious treasure and oil," because he has chosen to manage what God has given him with care and diligence.
