PRUDENCE – THE MANAGING AND MANAGEMENT OF GOD’S GIVEN RESOURCES: FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE – THE WISE PATH OF DOING LIFE THROUGH PRUDENCE!
“A PRUDENT [FAR-SIGHTED] man FORESEETH the evil, and HIDETH himself: but the SIMPLE [NAIVE] pass on, and are PUNISHED [SUFFERED]” Proverbs 22:3/Emphasis Mine.
PRUDENCE – it’s the managing and MANAGEMENT of God’s endowed and given resources in terms of – TALENT/SKILL, FINANCE (MONEY), TIME, MATERIAL (PHYSICAL SUPPORT) and PEOPLE – that are within reach to do the PURPOSEFUL and MEANINGFUL diligent work in life and grace. The above is the definition God taught me in His WISDOM FOR LIVING SCHOOL; and in the cause of doing life and living godly in any form of business in the kingdom, I have also learnt and yet learning what it takes to be FULFILED, which is far beyond a mere SUCCESS or been SUCCESSFUL. And being PRUDENT, there’s the need to be PRINCIPLED, RESPONSIBLE, ACCOUNTABLE and DILIGENT in all matters of doing life and godly living in the grace.
“The WISE in heart shall be called PRUDENT: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning” Proverbs 16:21.
Therefore, considering the context of been PRUDENT – there’s the need to be prudent in the management of God’s given resources that is/are available to you, in doing life and living godly. The stewardship and faithfulness to such given resources of God, will open doors of trust to greater endowments for any – Matthew 25:14-30 [1 Corinthians 4:1-2]. You need to learn from our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, who in His humanity in earthly ministerial assignment and mandate of Father God, NEVER waisted materials – and the example is the way He prudently ensured that which could have been considered left overs [like the fragments], which instead, after feeding the five thousands men beside women and children with the five loaves and two fishes, He ensured that the fragments were gathered into twelve (12) baskets for other cause or further causes – Matthew 14:15-21.
“. . . 20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they TOOK UP of the FRAGMENTS that remained twelve baskets full . . .” Matthew 14:15-21 [Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17].
Considering been PRUDENT in one resource – FINANCES – there’s the need to ensure that you are prudently intelligent; for the essence of being prudence in finance and financial management, may not be appreciated until you hit the bottom as I have experienced; and it’s when you watched and foresee that all you have worked for, or freely given to or have inherited, disappeared before your very eyes, as found in the Prodigal son lifestyle of Luke 15:11-24; and more so, in Isaac bankruptcy because of the FAMINE [economic meltdown, austerity] that breakout as experienced in the Holy writ of Genesis 25 and 26 respectively.
My mentor and father in the Lord of blessed memory once said in a marriage seminar to the marriage men audience in attendance of then, with this wisdom nuggets for marital living:
“DON’T BORROW MONEY FROM YOUR WIFE’S” – simply put, because in some of the wife’s context world – in the paying back, “IT’S AN INTEREST-ONLY BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS – AND PAYING BACK NEVER ENDS” while the marriage last.
I promise you, you will pay INTEREST-ONLY for all your life, and the loan will never be acknowledged as paid. That’s the lesson I learnt not early enough. It took me years to put together what that statement means. What I have come to know is, that which I considered to have been mine in a way, is called OURS; but what children and wife had, they say it’s THEIRS and not ours respectively. In a factual world, that’s considered to been selfish by these two groups – and that’s what I have always thought prior, probably I may be wrong. If otherwise, do you or anybody have [having] such experiences or it’s just me in my world? Help me out if you are.
I also later in course of time discovered that the notepad wherein my wife wrote she lent me money years and years ago that I could hardly remember again, is still intact long after I am sure and certain that I’ve fully paid back within the framework of time agreed even when the purpose was still about resolving our family cause and causes. For her that money is her’s and not ours indeed. Each time I have requested she should have indicated fully paid with date on her notepad as expected of then, she said NO. When I asked why, she would say whatever I’ve paid as far as she is concern is ‘INTEREST ONLY’, because money taken from a woman is never fully paid just as my father in the Lord have told me – and as he taught us in the marriage seminar from his own experiences.
My wife said, that’s the only act to help me understand what PRUDENCE and being PRUDENT [the management of God’s given resources] really means in financial matters; and for you the Believer’s in Christ Jesus – it’s worthwhile noting that the management of God’s given resource, and the reason why you need to live and do life WITHIN your own available means and resource, and not count on someone else as yours. Such self-acclaim entitlement to someone’s else’s can ruine your life if you are not principled in being prudential. That’s what I ascribed as to LIVE [LIVING] WITHIN YOUR OWN FAITH AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE’S FAITH! – which otherwise means, living within your means as to TILL [CULTIVATE] your OWN LAND [OPPORTUNITY] and in the PROCESS OF TIME your breakthrough will eventually come in the grace. For whatever happens to be without a process is a scam and a fraud.
“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the JUST [RIGHTEOUS] shall LIVE by HIS FAITH” Habakkuk 2:4/Emphasis mine.
“He that TILLETH HIS LAND shall be SATISFIED with BREAD: but he that FOLLOWETH VAIN persons is VOID of understanding” Proverbs 12:11.
“He that TILLETH [CULTIVATED] HIS LAND shall have PLENTY of bread: but he that FOLLOWETH after VAIN persons shall have POVERTY enough. 20 A FAITHFUL man shall ABOUND with BLESSINGS: but he that MAKETH HASTE to be RICH shall not be INNOCENT. 21 To have respect of persons is not good: for a PIECE OF BREAD that man will TRANSGRESS. 22 He that HASTETH to be RICH hath an EVIL eye, and considereth not that POVERTY shall come upon him. Proverbs 28:19-22.
And with the experience of being told it’s INTEREST-ONLY, she taught me to learning more on PRUDENCE [the management of God’s given resources], as a serious matter and good ‘FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE’ in the School of life LESSONS – that is, not wanting to borrow for anything that doesn’t lead to MORE and far reaching PRODUCTIVITY in terms of – innovating, creating and exploring, thereby earning a far MORE greater results, leading to an onward and upward trajectory in the grace.
My wife action has broadened my horizon in terms of living far ABOVE the norms as may be applicable in many ways, especially in living in a developed world of capitalism, wherein there’s an indebtedness of society’s at large with no exception. And the wisdom to never again, to lend from interest only businesses in all settings; not even in Property Mortgages, Credit Cards menace as dominant in the developed [relative] world, and which many other part of the world are now embracing despite the lessons learnt from the economic and financial meltdown of 2008 and other recessional that have emanated prior and out of it, till the present day and time.
However, thanks to my lovely wife and her school of ‘interest-only’ lesson which my father in the Lord was right eventually from his own experience. It has made me wiser today than ever before. Bless you HONEY if you are reading this note, do ensure you’ve written on your notepad – loan is fully paid and dated. If not reading this, which I hope not, to save my day – it’s all well too in the grace.
Does anybody have such experience? Bless you too. I hope you’ve learnt something good today.
Blessed regards.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK!
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“A PRUDENT man FORESEETH the EVIL, and HIDETH himself: but the simple PASS on, and are PUNISHED” Proverbs 22:3.
“The WISE in heart shall be called PRUDENT: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth LEARNING” Proverbs 16:21.
“Thou wilt shew me the PATH OF LIFE: in thy PRESENCE is fulness of joy; at thy RIGHT HAND there are pleasures for evermore” Psalms 16:11.
“But the PATH of the JUST (RIGHTEOUS) is as the SHINING LIGHT, that shineth more and more unto the PERFECT (DAWN) day.” Proverbs 4:18 (Emphasis Mine).
“Seest thou a man DILIGENT in his BUSINESS? he shall STAND before KINGS [NOBLES, DIGNITARIES, HONOURABLES]; he shall not STAND before MEAN [UNPRODUCTIVE, OBSCURED] men” Proverbs 22:29.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI