When considering naming this venture A Prudent Life, some potential negative connotations came to mind. If someone says they are prudent, it could be assumed they are constantly sacrificing and not necessarily happy or wealthy. In fact, someone could assume they are financially poor. I disagree. A prudent person could be making $20,000/year or $200,000/year. They could have a negative net worth, or be in the infamous 1%. Individuals still have to make similar decisions on spending their time and money appropriately. And yes, what some may consider sacrifices may be made, but when they are made consciously and for a set purpose, they do not feel like sacrifices.
How do many people become wealthy, both financially and spiritually? By making good decisions, being careful about their interests, and planning for the future. Sounds a lot like the definition of prudence to me.
There is caution in this as well. As we become more prudent in our lives, we may find a higher balance in our checking account, and more time on our hands. It is easy to start making decisions with less thought. However, Luke 12:48 reminds us that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” If income increases, charitable giving should increase at least at the same rate. If you have more time, use a portion of it to volunteer. If you develop a talent, share it with others.
To recap:
Prudence is not being about being miserly and unhappy, it is about making decisions that allow you to be generous and live with abundance!
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