Provident living is not coveting the things we see in this world but using these resources wisely—not wasting anything—even in times of plenty. It means avoiding debt and being content with the things we have. Many have beliefs that they should have what everyone else has, and have it right now. Part of this has come about from extravagant living beyond our means and the reckless spending of government. Because people will not postpone gratification, they spend, spend, spend—going into debt to buy what they cannot afford, which affects their physical and spiritual well-being.
Going into debt binds us down where we give away part of our freedom, placing ourselves into servitude to others. Thus we must spend time, energy, and means to repay borrowed funds that could be used to help our families. To prosper, we must pay our debts and avoid future debt, manage current and future resources with care, and place our faith in God.
Self-reliance is nothing more than depending on oneself to take care of life’s affairs and do them in a proper order. However, it also means that we are the ones who must put forth the effort to make things happen. We are the individuals that must perform the actions necessary in the accomplishment of any idea, goal or dream.
Provident living entails several areas of emphasis:
- Education and Literacy
- Career Development
- Financial and Resource Management
- Home Production and Storage
- Physical Health
- Social-Emotional and Spiritual Strength
Education and Literacy
Using knowledge and wisdom properly gives us power to do things correctly and do them to the best of our ability. Would you not want to do things more efficiently if you knew how? Much has been provided for our use; do we take advantage of it? It is up to us to do our part in learning all we can, and use that knowledge appropriately in life.
It is wise to get an education and to continue our learning throughout life. Education helps us attain the skills necessary to complete the things that we want to accomplish. The skills that we achieve help us to take advantage of opportunities that come our way.
Career Development
Career development is an important aspect of personal and family preparedness. It includes choosing one’s life work and continuing education in work-related and other life skills. The objective in career development is that each head of household selects a suitable vocation or profession that brings him personal satisfaction and aids him or her in providing for the family.
To the greatest extent possible, each family member should develop knowledge and skills for a particular career as well as continued learning in various fields of interest. Each young person should receive counsel in preparing to select a career. Assisting children in learning what opportunities are available in the various fields will aid them in choosing a compatible career and assist them in becoming productive members of society.
To the extent that we can free ourselves from the worries and problems of life, we can devote our labors to growth and service of others. It is important that we be self-reliant. This includes having employment that provides the necessities of life, thereby bringing happiness and a certain amount of freedom both in time and money. As we become more productive in our field of labor, our ability to provide can more rapidly grow and expand.
Financial and Resource Management
In managing our finances and resources, we must 1) spend less than we earn; 2) learn to save a portion of what is earned; and 3) pay our financial obligations as they come due. This keeps our honor intact, keeps our creditors happy, and makes our lives happy by avoiding bankruptcies and hard feelings in our dealings with others. We must also teach our children to follow our example so that these truths are adhered to and that future generations can be successful in their dealings.
It may be necessary to incur debt in order to obtain a home and perhaps basic transportation. But we should use wisdom in financial planning so that we have adequate resources for living each month as well as to save some for a rainy day.
We should take care of our automobiles and other equipment so that they are ready for our use as we need them and that they last as long as possible. Our homes, tools, clothes and other items must be maintained so that re-purchase of such items is not necessary, thus saving time, money and energy in not having to obtain new items.
Home Production and Storage
Provident living means to be, insofar as possible, independent, industrious, thrifty and self-sufficient. Home production and storage assists a family in accomplishing these goals if applied correctly. It is an essential element of personal and family preparedness.
Each person or family should produce as much food through gardening as possible. Fruit trees can provide much in the way of food for storage through canning, drying and freezing. These methods should be employed to store at least a one year’s supply of necessary foods. A family should also learn to produce clothing through sewing and making of other household items as needed. Storing of clothing and fuel (if possible) for home heat and cooking is also very important.
Gardening is an area that requires a little land, know-how, gardening skills and a few hand tools. If you have no land, talk to neighbors to see if you can use a small plot of theirs. If there is no land available, talk to others who have a garden and see if you can tie in with them or perhaps a farmer has a place that you can put a garden on. You could also remove part of a lawn area near your house for use as a garden.
Each family should plan to have seeds on hand to plant a garden as the need for seeds and ability to garden may become more important in the future.
Physical Health
Physical health starts with proper nutrition and diet. Eating the proper foods, grains, vegetables, and fruits and limiting meats, sweets and carbonated drinks will greatly assist in maintaining proper health.
Exercise and fitness goes hand in hand with a proper diet. Exercise tones the muscles of the body and keeps down excess fat. It burns away excess calories while de-stressing the body and the mind, keeping the balance that nature intended. There are many ways to get exercise. It does not have to be walking or running for long distances, but could be as simple as doing chores around the house, riding a bike to the store, or walking to the store instead of driving in a car.
Sleep and rest are a part of physical health. Getting the proper amount of sleep and rest is the best way to keep the brain and the body in balance. Sleep and rest aids the body in recovering from the day’s stresses. It allows the brain to be clear of yesterday’s problems and the muscles to relax and be rejuvenated for the next day. Various sleep problems (insomnia, sleep apnea, etc.) can disturb the sleep pattern and interfere with the sleep recovery process. If conditions exist that keep a person from a normal sleep cycle, professional help may be needed. Managing personal health is the responsibility of the individual and then the family.
Social-Emotional and Spiritual Strength
The focus of social and spiritual strength is to build character and bring out the best in each individual. Each person has much to offer in the way of social and spiritual power, as well as physical talents and abilities. These not only help strengthen the family but can also assist the extended famility, loved ones, and neighbors.
Devoting time daily to spiritual matters can keep us spiritually and mentally fit. Activities such as scripture study, attending spiritual meetings, meditation, prayer, and consulting with spiritual leaders can help us maintain perspective and move forward with faith during difficult times.
Dealing with others on a mature level will keep our social and emotional health intact. Listening to others’ points of view and talking things out in a peaceful manner just makes life easier. We must keep in mind that in working together and being united in our efforts will greatly enhance our situation if we will only respect one another and keep negative emotions in check.
