Biblical Principles for Building and Managing Wealth
- rwsbrec
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Lesson Plan: Biblical Principles for Building and Managing Wealth
Grade Level: 9–12 Subject: Financial Literacy / Biblical Studies / Life Skills Duration: 1 Class Period (50–60 minutes) Primary Sources: The Holy Bible (NIV, ESV, or KJV)
Florida State Standards Alignment
Financial Literacy
SS.912.FL.1.1 – Describe how financial decisions are influenced by values and ethics.
SS.912.FL.3.1 – Identify strategies for saving and investing to build wealth.
SS.912.FL.4.1 – Explain the importance of self-control, delayed gratification, and debt avoidance.
English Language Arts
ELA.912.R.1.1 – Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly.
ELA.912.C.1.4 – Write an expository text supporting a claim with relevant evidence.
Social Studies
SS.912.A.1.4 – Analyze how perspectives and values shape decisions.
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will:
Identify key biblical principles about earning, saving, giving, and avoiding unethical wealth.
Connect biblical teachings to modern financial literacy concepts.
Apply these teachings to personal budgeting, stewardship, and career planning.
Recognize the moral consequences of desiring and taking what belongs to others.
Key Bible Passages on Wealth
Exodus 20:15 – “You shall not steal.” (Respecting others’ property; wealth must be earned honestly.)
Exodus 20:17 – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Do not desire what others have without earning it yourself.)
Proverbs 21:5 – “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” (Planning and diligence build wealth.)
Proverbs 13:11 – “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” (Honest, steady saving is key.)
Luke 14:28 – “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Budget before spending.)
Proverbs 22:7 – “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” (Avoid unnecessary debt.)
Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse… Test me in this… and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven…” (Generosity and giving back.)
Lesson Activities
1. Warm-Up Discussion (10 minutes)
Write on the board: “If you want something someone else has, what are the right and wrong ways to get it?”
Discuss that coveting (wanting without working) and stealing (taking without earning) break God’s law and destroy trust in relationships, business, and society.
2. Scripture Study & Group Analysis (20 minutes)
Divide students into small groups.
Assign each group 1–2 of the above passages.
Groups answer:
What does this verse teach about money and ethics?
How does it apply to today’s financial world?
How does coveting lead to unethical actions like theft, fraud, or debt slavery?
Groups present findings to the class.
3. Application Activity: The Biblical Budget (20 minutes)
Students are given a mock monthly income (e.g., $2,000).
They create a budget that:
Gives 10% back (tithe/charity).
Plans savings before spending.
Avoids debt and unethical shortcuts.
Shows how hard work—not coveting or stealing—meets needs and wants.
4. Reflection & Exit Ticket (5–10 minutes)
Prompt: “Why is it wrong to desire what others have without working for it, and how can I avoid that temptation in my financial future?”
Assessment
Group participation in scripture analysis.
Biblical Budget worksheet completion.
Written exit ticket showing personal understanding.
Homework / Extension
Interview a parent or mentor about how they avoided financial jealousy or unethical gain.
Write a short essay comparing the results of earning honestly versus taking what doesn’t belong to you.
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