Whose Money Is It Anyway? Reflections on Personal Financial Stewardship

How we handle finances is important to God. From the tithe laws of Deuteronomy to the Sermon on the Mount to Paul’s letters, the Bible speaks about money and possessions repeatedly. Jesus often used money in His parables precisely because He knew it competes for the human heart: ‘You cannot serve God and money’ (Matt. 6:24).

It Begins with Ownership

Before we can talk about giving, saving, or spending, we must settle a foundational question: whose money is it anyway? Scripture’s answer is unambiguous. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). The silver is His and the gold is His (Haggai 2:8). Even our ability to earn comes from Him: “It is He who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). And it goes deeper still. Even we ourselves, are not our own since we were bought with a price, the precious blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). So here is the truth that reframes everything: we are not owners; we are managers. And “it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Wise Giving

Stewardship is bigger than giving, but giving is where it starts. In the Old Testament, God required Israel to tithe and with freewill offerings added, the expectation was really “ten percent plus something.” The New Testament commands no fixed percentage, but the standard it sets is arguably higher: regular, proportionate, generous giving from a willing heart. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). A tithe remains a wise biblical starting point – a floor, not a ceiling.

Where should it go? The local church first, supporting those who labour in preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 5:17-18). Then to gospel ministries beyond, and to the poor, beginning with the household of faith and extending to all (Galatians 6:10).

Why do we hold back? Usually fear as we think, “What if I give and can’t pay my bills?” But generous giving flows from trust in a Father who promises, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). This is not the prosperity gospel, as God promises to meet our needs, not to make us wealthy. And we know that the Lord has never broken a promise yet.

Wise Saving

Saving is not a lack of faith but biblical wisdom. Scripture commends providing for old age so we burden no one (1 Thessalonians 4:12), preparing for emergencies, and gathering “little by little” (Proverbs 13:11). Even the ant is praised for storing food in summer for the winter ahead (Proverbs 6:6-8). Yet savings carry a spiritual danger which the Bible warns of repeatedly:

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

It is possible to save too much which is hoarding, quietly trusting our balance rather than our God. It’s also possible to save too little, spending tomorrow before it arrives. While this is a decision that requires much wisdom as the Bible prescribes no fixed percentage, we can bank on the promise of James 1:5 – ‘if any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives generously’.

Wise Spending

Many believers are surprised to learn that the Bible is genuinely positive about spending. God “richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17), and the power to enjoy our labour is called “the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19). Asceticism is not holiness. But the dangers run both ways – the prodigal’s reckless self-indulgence on one side to joyless miserliness on the other. A simple guideline might be to decide your giving and saving first, then spend the remainder with gratitude and thanksgiving.

The Heart of It All

In Mark 12, Jesus sat opposite the temple treasury and watched a poor widow drop in two small copper coins. The wealthy had given large sums out of their surplus. However, she out of her poverty, gave everything she had. And Jesus said she had given more than all of them! God’s economy has never been about amounts. It is about hearts. He sees not only what we give but also what we keep and the motive. One day each of us will give an account of our stewardship. Stewardship cannot earn salvation, as it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). But as children rendering an account to a Father who entrusted much to us, the question on that day will not be “How much did you earn?” but “What did you do with what I gave you?”

So may we hold our money loosely and our Lord tightly. May we give cheerfully, save wisely, spend gratefully, all to the glory of our Lord. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:2).