WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JUNE 26, 2025
TOPIC: SAVE FOR THE FUTURE
BY T. O. BANSO
“The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets” (Proverbs 21:20 Living Bible).
When the departmental secretary told his Head of Department in a higher institution that he would be moving to his newly built house at the weekend, he was surprised. In disbelief, he asked, “Where did you get the money?”
The HOD had a higher academic qualification than the secretary and earned more than him. But his surprise was not because of the secretary’s lower salary but because he had not built a house despite earning more than him. He was wondering why he couldn’t build a house with a higher salary, but the secretary could. He wasn’t envious but was asking himself what he had done with all the money he had earned over the years.
People earn different amounts of money and spend their money on different things. Some people plan their finances even when their income is small and make decisions about how to spend their money. They spend their money on purpose. Others have no plan for their money. They have no budget. They spend their money on just anything and wake up one day to ask where all the money that appeared to be so much has gone. Did they think that money increases as one spends it?
An ex-international footballer some years back regretted how he wasted all the money he made while playing football, including playing for clubs in Europe. He played for top clubs but wasted all his money on expensive cars, trips, etc. He didn’t spend his money wisely.
He seemed to have forgotten that he would not continue to be playing for many years from then on. Age would catch up with him or injury could stop his career at any time. There have been cases like that. Their career ended abruptly due to a sudden injury.
Some young people are guilty of mismanaging their opportunities by wasting their money on frivolity. It is not usually because of a lack of advisers but their refusal to listen to good advisers. Some older people are also guilty of wasting their money. They never think that no condition is permanent. They never think that the opportunities they have to make the money that is intoxicating them could end. Some people don’t listen to honest advice when they begin to make more money than they used to. Somebody said that, in such a situation, it would take the grace of God to be clear-headed or sober!
It is not how much you are making now, the cars you’re driving, the house you’re living in, and the clothes you’re wearing that are important. What is important is the quality of your life in the future. If you won’t regret it tomorrow, you must stop your wasteful spending now. Money doesn’t increase when you spend it; it increases when you invest or save it.
Some people display their fleet of cars even when they can’t drive more than one car at a time. Yet, they are not operating car hire services! Learn to invest your money and save, just as you give to God, meet your legitimate family responsibilities, and give to good causes.
Proverbs 21:20 says, “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets” (The Living Bible). Are you a wise man or woman? Save. Don’t waste your money on extravagance. The opportunity you have today may not be there tomorrow.
Those who cannot delay gratification but prefer immediate enjoyment can neither save nor invest. A lack of self-denial is evident in them. They cannot deny themselves some of the things they spend their money on – new cars, shoes, bags, dresses, wristwatches, or perfumes. They always like acquiring new things. Many times, they buy the things they don’t need or can do without. They could go on unnecessary journeys. Just because they have the money, they do whatever they like. They’re not prudent.
Everyone who engages in savings and investment does so not because he has plenty but because he has decided to delay gratification or enjoyment. Don’t eat your tomorrow today! Avoid impulsive purchases; don’t buy what you don’t need. Don’t cultivate an obsession with new things. Discourage foolish purchases; they put pressure on your finances. Don’t be deceived by adverts to always try new things. New things are not always better. Don’t buy anything to impress anybody or prove a point.
The Bible tells us to learn from the ant. “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest” (Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version). The ant does not waste its time of abundance. It procures her food in the summer and stores up her provisions in the harvest. We can learn both diligence and savings from this scripture. It is not wise to say you have faith, therefore, you don’t believe in savings. It simply shows your inability to manage the resources God has given you.
After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams to him, Joseph told him what to do to prepare for the seven years of famine that would follow the seven years of abundance. “Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine” (Genesis 41:34-36 New International Version).
Save for the future; don’t waste your money today. The wealth you gather little by little increases (Proverbs 13:11b). The money that is squandered is gone. Be wise. Save. If you save, you can accumulate money to invest.
Learn from the prodigal son. He got his inheritance from his father, not waiting for him to die. To make matters worse, he left for a far country where he squandered everything in riotous living. “Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father” (Proverbs 28:7 King James Version). Thank God his father had not died when he returned home empty-handed (Luke 15:11-24).
You could be a young man currently making so much money that nobody in your family has ever made. Don’t be blinded by that and start spending recklessly. Be sober. Don’t join the league of wasteful spenders who soon became poor. Don’t let foolishness take you back to where you started. Maybe you are not a youth, but you’re living a prodigal life. Repent. Don’t be an old fool.
John Wesley, in his sermon, “The Use of Money”, emphasised that Christians should first gain all they can, secondly save all they can, and then give all they can. Don’t waste your money. Save for the future. Save so that you can also give to others. Give your heart to Jesus and be delivered from living a life of vanity
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I thank you for your provision. Help me to be a good steward of the money you have given me. Let me not be so proud or blind that I will waste my money. I receive wisdom to be clear-headed as You bless me so that I will not be wasteful.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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