Saving for a Future
July 30
But he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
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Proverbs 13:11
Patty and Glenna were twins. But that’s where any similarities ended. Patty
was a vigilant, careful saver.
Glenna had never learned the fine art of financial prudence.
Patty had gotten her driver’s license and was checking out cars on the
Internet, looking for a good deal.
Glenna never seemed to be able to pass up the latest fashion trend, DVD,
or techno gadget.
While Patty saved enough money to make a sizable down payment on a
dependable vehicle, Glenna gave no thought to the future. Her peers teased
her that she would need to marry into money if she expected to continue her
gotta-have-it lifestyle.
Patty put aside what she received for birthdays and Christmas, as well as
wages earned working evenings for a local department store.
Glenna, on the other hand, was spontaneous and rarely thought past her
next impulse purchase. Every time Apple came out with a new phone or iPad,
Glenna just had to have it. Consequently, when she needed a loan, she had
no credit established and was denied without a cosigner. Patty was also wise
enough to tell Glenna no when she asked if she would cosign.
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Squandering money can be as harmful as worshiping it.
Setting and working toward financial goals builds discipline and allows us
to defer our need-it-now mentality.
Financial discipline can be difficult for many people; some because they
don’t believe it’s possible to save money on a limited income; others because
they cannot quell their desire to possess everything they see.
Many impulsive people can’t view saving as a long-term prospect and have a
hard time putting “A lot of little investments makes a lot of money” in perspective.
Yet for those who have practiced this principal, they have found it works
very well.
Saving is a learned behavior. Preparing for the future requires restraint. By
setting goals and working toward them, we find it’s not as hard as we thought,
and it works. Saving a little at a time for the future will pay huge dividends.
Prayer
“Lord, help me reign in my desire to spend
when it’s not necessary. Teach me to save a little
at a time and watch it grow. Amen.”
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