Thrift

Saving by the careful use of resources. In general this is encouraged in Scripture, though the dangers of meanness, materialism and anxiety are recognised.

Encouragements to thrift

To provide for the future

Proverbs 21:20 See also Proverbs 6:6–8, Proverbs 10:5, Proverbs 12:27, Proverbs 27:23–27, Proverbs 30:25

Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.

To provide for children

Psalm 17:14; Proverbs 13:22; 2 Corinthians 12:14

To provide for others

Deuteronomy 14:28–29; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Ephesians 4:28

Examples of thrift

Noah

Genesis 6:21

You are also to take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and gather it as food for yourselves and for the animals.”

Joseph

Genesis 41:48 See also Genesis 41:28–36, Genesis 41:53

During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

Solomon

1 Kings 9:17–19 parallel 2 Chronicles 8:4–6

Jehoshaphat

2 Chronicles 17:12

Hezekiah

2 Chronicles 32:27–29

The good wife

Proverbs 31:13–16

Jesus Christ

John 6:12–13

And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

The dangers of thrift

Meanness

John 12:4–6 parallels Matthew 26:8–9, Mark 14:4–5 See also Proverbs 3:27–28, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 11:26, Proverbs 23:6–8, Proverbs 28:22; Ecclesiastes 5:13; 2 Corinthians 9:6

But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.

Materialism

Luke 12:15 See also Ecclesiastes 4:8; Micah 6:14; Luke 12:16–21

And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Anxiety

Luke 12:22–31 parallel Matthew 6:25–34

Lack of thrift

Luke 15:13 See also Proverbs 21:17, Proverbs 21:20, Proverbs 23:20–21, Proverbs 29:3; Luke 16:1

After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

Spiritual thrift

Matthew 6:19–21; Ephesians 5:15–16 See also Proverbs 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:19

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

The wicked store up judgment

Romans 2:5–6 See also Romans 2:7–10; Revelation 18:6–7

But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”