Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters ... You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) As Christians, we are called to serve God by stewarding our money.

Grandparents have a unique opportunity to pass down wisdom, values, and faith to their grandchildren, including how to handle money from a biblical perspective. With today’s culture promoting instant gratification and excessive spending, grandparents can help their grandchildren develop a strong foundation of financial stewardship based on God’s Word. By instilling key biblical principles and providing age-appropriate financial guidance, grandparents can shape the next generation into wise and faithful stewards.

Five Biblical Principles to Teach Grandchildren About Stewarding Money

1. God Owns Everything (Psalm 24:1): The first step in understanding money biblically is recognizing that all we have belongs to God. Teaching grandchildren that they are stewards, not owners, helps them view money as a tool for God’s purposes rather than personal indulgence. Practical Tip: When you give them a gift of money, encourage them to dedicate a portion to God through tithing or charitable giving. Helping them start this habit at a young age can help start a lifetime of generosity cheerful giving. 

2. Work is Honorable and Provides for Our Needs (Colossians 3:23-24): Scripture teaches that work is a gift and should be done diligently. While every grandparent I know loves to spoil their grands, it may be a bigger blessing to offer them some work, and then to pay them on the extravagant side.  This can help instill a strong work ethic and get them to associate financial blessings with work and not gifts. Practical Tips: Younger children can be given jobs like raking leaves, watering plants, dusting or cleaning windows. Older children might be better suited for lawncare, home repair projects, pet sitting, etc. Feel free to use your imagination!

3. Save for the Future (Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 6:6-8): Wise financial management means spending less than we earn and avoiding unnecessary debt. Teaching grandchildren the difference between needs and wants will help them make sound financial decisions. Practical Tips: Consider supplementing gifts to your grandkids with a “matched savings” offer. This could help them save for major purchases down the road. Similarly, offer an incentive for your grandkids to be spending less than they earn. For instance, you could offer to take them to a theme park or to the movies if they’re able to save up a certain amount. 

4. Invest for the Future (Genesis 41): The Bible encourages planning and saving, just as Joseph had Pharaoh set aside the excess grain during the years of plenty for the upcoming years of famine. Teaching grandchildren the value of saving and investing helps them prepare for both expected and unexpected financial needs. Practical Tips: For your young grandchildren, you may want to go ahead and start investing money to help pay for college or other needs. This may be more of a gift to your kids at this point, but starting this early can help take advantage of compound interest and make a huge difference for your grandkids down the road. For older grandchildren, you could consider making some of your gifts in the form of shares of stock or other investments. Set up a meeting with your financial advisor and ask if they would give your grandchildren an overview about investing.

5. Be Generous (2 Corinthians 9:7): God calls us to be cheerful givers, recognizing that generosity not only blesses others but also brings joy and fulfillment. Teaching grandchildren to give instills gratitude and a kingdom-focused mindset. Practical Tips: Give your grandchildren some money to give away.  Let them choose a person, charity or mission project to contribute to. Have your grandchildren volunteer with you in the community.  Those shared experiences will teach them more and offer much more than some extra spending cash. Set up a Donor Advised Fund and have your larger family come together to help make some grants to causes and charities that have had an impact on your family.

Making a Lasting Impact: I’d encourage you to sit down with your grandkids and go over some of these Bible verses with them, and tell them how they’ve impacted you and your finances. By teaching biblical financial principles, modeling stewardship, and providing valuable resources, you can empower your grandchildren to handle money wisely, honor God with their finances, and build a secure future. It’s never too early—or too late—to start shaping the next generation into faithful and responsible stewards!