But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself [and given distinction to] him who is godly [the man of loving-kindness]. The Lord listens and heeds when I call to Him. (Psalms 4:3)
What quickened me when I recently read this verse in the Amplified Version was the insight, or amplification that described an attribute of being godly as loving-kindness. And I thought, "how does walking in loving-kindness translate to our finances?"
Let's first look at our work, Colossians 3:23 encourages us "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men." If we strive to do our best, be obedient to those in authority (see Ephesians 6:5) and not seek to just get by, God will be honored in our work and we can expect to be blessed.
Now that we've earned our income, the next step to walking in loving-kindness is to honor the One who first loved us by giving of tithes and offerings. It is written in Proverbs 3:9 "Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income".
Because of our faithfulness in giving tithes, God promises in Malachi 3 to open the windows of heaven for us to such an extent there will not be room enough to receive it, and also to rebuke the devourer for our sakes. That is the loving response from our Father to our faith in Him, for it is written in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love".
Next, our walk in love financially includes being a blessing to others, that we should follow in the way of the Lord - "For God so loved the world the he gave". That can be towards individuals and families your see in need, or ministries. It can also be of your time.
And know in Hebrews 6:10 it says "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."
Walking in love applies to your spending as well. 1 Corinthians 16:14 states "Let everything you do be done in love." You might be thinking "how does that apply to my spending?" It is very important that we carefully consider how much we value something before we buy it. Many people have basements, garages and closets holding numerous items they felt they had to have at the time, but ended up rarely used.
The best test for this is to take our time and wait a couple of days or longer, so we can weigh whether this item really meets our hearts desire, or is something that just grabbed our attention and excitement from the advertisement or seeing it in the store. If you take this step your money will go further, you will have less clutter and you will feel more confident in your purchases.
Lastly, remember this small excerpt from 1 Corinthians 13:8:
Love never fails.
God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,
Paul
