The Link between Waste and Poverty

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

[There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. Proverbs Chapter 21 verse 20.

Squandering is a symptom and very clear indication of the fact that there is no indentified purpose that will multiply and compound resources; so the resources are squandered, no investments, no returns, poverty. The Bible describes wine bibing, gluttony which a number of people refer to as pleasure or enjoyment as means of impoverishment. Please see Proverbs Chapter 23 verses 20 to 21, 21 verse 17. The prodigal son for instance squandered every productive resource at his disposal. He frittered time, money, his body divine talent and ideas in non spiritually, physically, mentally, financially and materially rewarding activities which the Bible describes as riotous living. Please see Luke Chapter 15 verses 11 to 17.

At the end of the exercise, he was so impoverished that he came close to eating what he fed the pigs with; at a farm where he labored in vain. Please take note of the words he labored in vain. This is because what he earned was not a living wage. How do I know this? The Bible records in Luke Chapter 15 verses 14 to 16 that he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate. A living wage would have put good food on his table.

Secondly, to feed swine was a despicable job yet because the prodigal son was so impoverished, he accepted the job despite the fact that the job did not pay a living wage. A little attention to the details of managing productive processes to a profit as well as the practice in His father’s house would have saved the prodigal son the hunger pangs and indignity of what he suffered. Fortunately, he learnt his lessons well and returned to his father.

Decisions Decide Wealth 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Borrowing is often a symptom of impatience and impatience usually births hasty actions such as borrowing at high interest rates. As much as possible, always seek the face of God before borrowing money. When the indebted prophet’s widow cried to Elisha, Elisha did not instruct her to borrow money to repay the loan that had culminated in debt bondage for her two sons. Instead, he asked her what she had at home. She replied that she had a jar of oil. That was all Elisha required - something the woman could hold on to and trade in for the very urgently required financial resources to offset her late husband’s debt so that her two sons would not go into debt bondage.

You may argue that Elisha asked her to borrow vessels. Beloved, those were resources she would need to house the multiplying oil to the capacity that would fetch the money to pay off the debt as well as generate sufficient money for her and her sons to live on. These vessels would also serve to package the oil for sale to her neighbours and as the oil was sold for money, the vessels would be returned to the owners. This way, she would access vessels at no extra cost and earn money from what she had.

Borrowing should always be at the clear leading of God and not necessarily the circumstances that appear insurmountable.