Why Margin Creates Opportunity test
Welcome to The Bible Money Journal, a brief for Christian professionals who want to learn more about God’s ways of managing money. In each edition, I share a verse, a story, and a money lesson to help you in your journey.
This brief is a resource for navigating the scriptures through the lens of financial planning and learning how to apply them in your life.
Let’s get started!
Genesis 14:11-16
11 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he owned.
13 But one of Lot’s men escaped and reported everything to Abram the Hebrew, who was living near the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram’s allies.
14 When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. 15 There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.
It’s not what you know
My dad told me it’s not about what you know but who you know. He always reminded me that success was directly correlated with relationships. So as much as I was going to college to learn skills and become employable, it was also vital that I was around the right people who would push me forward to succeed.
That became a reality when one of my mentors encouraged me to apply to the internship program, which eventually led to my first full-time job.
Abram knew people
Let’s talk about who Abram knew and how they made a difference:
👉God, who continued to protect, prosper and establish his family👉Lot, his beloved nephew, was like a son to him
👉Mamre the Amorite, who, along with his relatives, were Abram’s allies
👉318 trained men who could wage war on his side
God’s protection, his foresight to build a small army, and his allies led him to wage war against an alliance of kings, defeat them, and recover Lot, his family, his property, and other city captives.
Do you have enough margin in your life for God to use you?
Let’s be honest; it can be hard to prepare for the unknown when we have things we know we want or need in front of us. Before Abram even had a threat, war, or clear need for them, he trained an army and made alliances.
Building a financial margin is about creating a cash flow surplus to save for emergencies and invest for the future. You may not live in a world that requires a small army, but do you even have an emergency fund to face an unexpected setback?
When things in your life are balanced, you have the freedom to provide for your present and future needs and help others. That’s why a financial plan is key to fulfilling God’s calling in your life. Whether you make little or much, how you steward those resources will determine your ability to execute those future challenges or opportunities.
Leo Marte is a Christian financial advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Abundant Advisors provides financial advice for Christians with convenient virtual meetings. Let’s talk if you are ready to make the next move.