Treasured: Teaching Girls (PREVIEW) Curriculum Preview | Page 8

MODULENINE PAGE 174 LESSON 1 BIBLICAL GUIDELINES ABOUT EARNING AND USING MONEY God gives us many guiding principles in His word to help us understand the value of money and how we can use money in a God-honoring way. God is eager to bless us financially as we become obedient to Him in using our money. He actually instructs us to be good workers so that we can earn money to meet our needs. Each person has a particular mix of talents, strengths, experiences and opportunities that together, control their ability to earn money. Our skill set opens up certain opportunities for us and our work ethic keeps those opportunities open and profitable. As we earn money, we have the responsibility to make choices about how to use that money. Do we have bills or debts that need to be paid? Do we have products or services that we want or need to purchase? Are there organizations or causes we feel compelled to support financially? Do we need to put some of our earnings aside towards some long term goals we have made, such as going to college or buying a car? Do we need to set some aside in case something unexpected happens?  You've probably heard the expression, "...with great power comes great responsibility..." This holds true for buying power also. The more you earn, or the greater your potential to earn, the more choices you have to make about your money. The Bible teaches us that we can ask God for wisdom to make good decisions in all areas of our lives, including what to do with money. There is a popular formula, that is widely accepted as a smart way to a plan out where your money goes. This is called the 50/30/20 rule, and it says: 50% o