REF: ESW013126EN
It is common to hear that the Jewish people stand out for their economic prosperity and their presence in areas such as business, finance, and entrepreneurship. This has led many to wonder whether that prosperity is due to a special blessing from God based on the Scriptures, whether it is mainly the result of practical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, or whether it is a combination of both factors.
To answer honestly, it is necessary to move away from extremes: prosperity is neither automatic just because one has faith, nor is it solely the product of human effort disconnected from spiritual principles. The reality is deeper and, above all, more practical.
Is There a Biblical Blessing Related to Prosperity?
Scripture makes it clear that God blesses those who walk in His ways. Passages such as Deuteronomy 8:18 affirm that it is God who gives the power to create wealth. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were also men who were materially blessed. However, the Bible never presents economic prosperity as something guaranteed simply by believing or praying.
Biblical blessing does not work like a magical formula. It is not about asking God to bless one’s finances while ignoring basic principles such as discipline, wisdom, and good stewardship. Scripture itself teaches that God blesses processes, not shortcuts.
Faith Without Works Is Dead
Here a key principle appears: faith without works is dead. In other words, it is not enough to believe that God can bless; it is essential to act accordingly. Praying for financial provision without making responsible decisions, without preparing oneself, without working with excellence, or without taking calculated risks is a contradiction.
In many Jewish communities, this principle is lived out in very practical ways. Work, commerce, investing, and entrepreneurship are not seen as opposing faith, but as legitimate means to steward what God provides. Prayer does not replace action; it accompanies it.
Culture, Mindset, and Financial Education
Beyond the spiritual aspect, there is also a strong cultural component. From an early age, emphasis is placed on:
- Financial education
- Long-term thinking
- The value of work and excellence
- Responsible money management
- Entrepreneurship and investing
Money is not idolized, but neither is it demonized. It is understood as a tool. This mindset prepares people to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, instead of depending solely on external circumstances.
The Fundamental Pillar: Living Debt-Free
Here it is necessary to be clear and direct: the most effective and proven way to achieve financial freedom is to completely avoid debt or to eliminate existing debt before investing. There are no sustainable shortcuts around this principle.
Practical criteria for eliminating debt before investing:
👉 Since a total market ETF such as the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF has had a historical average return close to 10% annually, a mortgage with a 3–4% interest rate can still be paid while investing; an auto loan above 5–6% is better eliminated; and credit cards should be paid off aggressively as fast as possible before beginning to invest in the stock market or in any other investment.
It makes no sense to talk about investing, growth, or compound interest while carrying high-interest debt. Financially and mathematically, trying to invest while paying 18%, 24%, or 30% interest is moving in the opposite direction.
This can only be achieved in one way: living below one’s income. Not for a month or a season, but as a conscious and sustained lifestyle.
Take a look at what I am doing to get out of debt in an accelerated way.
Why Are There People of Faith Who Never Achieve Financial Freedom?
This is an uncomfortable but necessary question. There are people with genuine faith and a sincere desire to please God who never achieve stability or financial freedom. If faith alone guaranteed economic prosperity, this would not happen.
The reality is that faith does not replace a lack of planning, poor financial decisions, chronic debt, lack of financial education, or the refusal to live below one’s income. Many times it is not a lack of faith, but a lack of structure, discipline, and sustained action over time.
Practical Application: Getting Out of Debt, Especially in Your 50s
I am about to turn 59 years old, and unfortunately, when I was young, no one taught me about the importance of investing or anything like it. At that time, apps like Robinhood did not exist, and the stock market seemed—at least in my mind—reserved for investors with large amounts of capital. Starting to invest at a young age, ideally from the very first income one receives, is without a doubt the best way to achieve financial freedom over the decades. However, even in your 50s, it is never too late to begin doing what is necessary to improve your financial situation.
At a stage like your 50s, applying these principles requires realism. Being in this stage of life with debt is not a spiritual curse or a sign of moral failure; in most cases it is the accumulated result of past decisions or simply of surviving as best as one could.
Getting out of debt must be an absolute priority, even before thinking about investing. This involves:
- Completely stopping the acquisition of new debt
- Organizing all existing debts
- Aggressively attacking the highest-interest ones
- Reducing lifestyle expenses to free up cash flow
This process is not punishment; it is strategy. And it is one of the most liberating decisions a person can make.
The Emergency Fund: Stability Before Growth
Before investing a single dollar, it is essential to build an emergency fund. Ideally, this fund should cover between 3, 6, or even up to 12 months of monthly expenses, depending on job stability and personal circumstances. However, it is vital to have at least a $1,000 to $2,000 emergency fund before beginning to pay down debt aggressively, as this helps avoid resorting to credit cards when an unexpected emergency arises.
The emergency fund is not an investment; it is personal insurance. It prevents a person from going back into debt or having to liquidate investments at the worst possible market moment. Without this cushion, any financial plan is fragile.
Investing Is Not Gambling
Many people view the stock market as a quick way to “make up for lost time.” That mindset often leads to costly mistakes. Investing is not gambling or looking for the next big hit; it is about building reasonable growth, stability, and protection against inflation.
The stock market does not replace work; it complements it. And once again, consistency tends to beat urgency.
ETFs and Real Access to Financial Freedom
Investing in the stock market, and especially in ETFs, has democratized access to investing. Today, thanks to apps like Robinhood, anyone can invest by buying fractional shares of stocks or ETFs, regardless of how much money they have or how much they earn.
In the United States, there are numerous cases of people earning around $40,000 a year who, by staying debt-free and living below their means, have managed to accumulate several million dollars over decades. They did not do it by gambling or speculating, but through consistency, patience, and the power of compound interest.
ETFs such as VTI, SPY, VOO, QQQ, and other similar ones have proven their effectiveness because they are made up of hundreds or even thousands of companies. This diversification significantly reduces risk compared to investing in individual stocks like Apple, Amazon, or Tesla, which, although highly successful, are still more vulnerable to company-specific risks.
Simplicity Versus Complexity
Investing in ETFs does not require becoming an expert in the stock market or spending hours analyzing markets. Nor does it require special skills typical of traditional businesses such as real estate, which involve securing financing, managing clients, complying with regulations, and dealing with constant competition.
Once the emergency fund is established and debts are eliminated, the process becomes simple: consistently invest the surplus into solid ETFs and let time and compound interest do the work.
Applied Faith and Redefined Freedom
Applied faith is not passive. Praying to get out of debt while continuing to spend without control is not faith. Praying for provision without learning how to manage resources is not faith either. Mature faith makes difficult decisions, maintains discipline when results are not immediate, and understands that God usually blesses processes, not instant financial miracles.
Financial freedom, especially in later stages of life, does not always mean never working again. Many times it means not living suffocated by debt, having room to choose, having complementary income, and not being completely dependent on others in old age.
Conclusion
Economic prosperity is not exclusive to one group, nor is it automatic just because one has faith. Neither is it solely the result of human effort disconnected from spiritual principles. In many cases, it is the convergence of a well-understood faith and practical actions carried out with discipline and patience.
Avoiding debt, living below one’s income, building a solid emergency fund, and then investing consistently in proven ETFs is, without a doubt, one of the clearest and most effective paths to financial freedom.
God can open doors, but each person must prepare to walk through them. The true blessing often begins when someone decides to bring order to their financial life and remain consistent over time.
May God bless you with wisdom and discernment, so that your life may prosper in every sense,
Eduardo Silva
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