Having an emergency fund is an important part of wise financial stewardship. But building one is only half the battle. You also need to know when to use it. It can be tempting to dip into emergency savings whenever an unexpected expense—or even an especially appealing purchase—comes along. But if we use those funds too freely, the money may not be there when a genuine emergency arrives. Proverbs 21:20 offers a helpful reminder: “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” The principle is simple: wisdom prepares rather than consuming everything today. Financial emergencies are inevitable. A tire goes flat. An appliance fails. A major medical expense arrives. A job disappears unexpectedly. We can’t predict every expense, but we can prepare for them.