The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. – Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. – Proverbs 21:20 (KJV)
52 Proverbs in 52 Weeks – Week 20
This week’s theme: Stewardship
Pay attention young people (I wish I had)!
Recent surveys show that almost 70%–that’s over two-thirds–of Americans have little or no savings (34% have zero). How is it possible that so many of us in America, one of the “richest” (at least in material terms) countries in history, haven’t managed to make even basic preparations for our future needs? Part of our problem is that we haven’t heeded King Solomon’s advice here in Proverbs 21:20. His message is pretty straightforward: it’s smart to save for the future…and it’s foolish not to do so.
This is our fifth and last week on the theme of Stewardship. Our previous verses on this topic focused on sharing our resources:
– Proverbs 3:9-10 reminded us to Honor God with the first and best of everything we have;
– Proverbs 11:25 and Proverbs 19:17 taught us to be generous in giving to and refreshing those in need.
This week’s verse, however, highlights that saving for the future is also an important aspect of Godly Stewardship.
Recall that one of Solomon’s key purposes for sharing his proverbs was to offer wisdom and practical advice to the young. Proverbs 21:20 offers some of that practical advice with respect to finances: wise people save some of their resources for the future–they “store up choice food and olive oil”–while fools spend everything they have–they “gulp theirs down.” In other words, it’s smart to set aside some “savings” from the resources God has provided so we can be prepared for uncertainties that may lie ahead. For example, financial advisors (such as Dave Ramsey) offer a fantastic approach I wish I’d put into practice 25 years ago. They recommend that we tithe from our paychecks first, put a bit into savings next, then live off of what’s left. That helps avoid the temptation to “gulp” everything down every time we receive a paycheck. Certainly every family or individual situation is different and that approach may not work for everyone, but the fundamental principle still applies: saving for the future is a core aspect of good stewardship.
In closing, let’s note that it’s even more important to be prepared for our eternal future than it is to be prepared for our remaining time here on Earth. And the principle of Proverbs 21:20 still applies…the wise prepare…fools do not.
Here are links to a couple of reference articles related to this post:
CNBC Article
PBS News Hour
Dave Ramsey Article
