Text: Gen. 41:34-36
MEMORY:
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. (Gen.41:34)

Although we have to put our hope in God, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be planning ahead for the future. The scripture under our consideration today makes us to realize that it is wise to save and invest. In the above scripture, Joseph counseled Pharaoh to save during the period of plenty in preparation for the period of scarcity, and that saved a whole nation from destruction.
Savings in the form of keeping money in an account just in case of any need in the future is very good but appears challenging to most people, myself inclusive. However, you may expand the issue of savings to include everything that you set aside now to delay its consumption until a future date. Some of such savings and investments include the following:
• Purchasing properties such as real estate.
• Purchasing equipment which can make you to increase your future earnings.
• Acquiring further education.
• Writing book in your area of interest.
• Taking insurance policies
• Learning a trade.
• Buying stocks.
• Joining and participating in a cooperative society.
• Educating your children.
• Renovating your property and equipment.

Any of the above is like little drops of water which may appear to be little when you are doing it, but which may become life-saving in the future. Every couple must cultivate the habit of putting something aside for the future. There are emergencies that may come up and embarrass you as a family if you don’t cultivate the habit of saving. In such situation, you may be left with no option other than to take loan from unconventional sources. There are loans you will take and be required to pay back with one hundred percent interest because you have no other choice. However, note that there are obstacles that prevent people from saving and investing. Some of such obstacles are:
• Ignorance.
• Inability to delay gratification.
• Love for shortcuts.
• Distractions.
• Love for luxury goods.
• Lack of self discipline.
• Inability to carry your spouse along.
• The feeling that it will always be easy.
You will be doing your family a lot of good if you cultivate the habit of not consuming all that come in for your family.
There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.(Prov.21:20)
If your spouse is the type who does not believe in the practice, you may need to encourage him or her and if he failed to be encouraged, you may with wisdom go ahead to do it to secure the future of the family. There are husbands who said that building a house was not their priority but their wives went ahead to build and at the end of the day he lost his job and the position in which he was, only for the house to serve as the saving grace for the family. It is an error for you to believe that resources will continually be abundant and therefore fail to keep something for the future. Don’t squander the resources available for you now; the future may demand for it.

DISCUSSION POINTS WITH YOUR SPOUSE
• Do we have savings and investment culture in this home?
• Wherr do we need to start or improve from where we are?

PRAYER
Father, I receive divine wisdom and enablement to cultivate the habit of savings and investment in Jesus’ name.


QUOTABLE QUOTE
DON’T SQUANDER THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR YOU NOW; YOUR FUTURE MAY DEMAND FOR IT. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

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