Money
Money is certainly one of the hardest topics to talk about among Christians, and nearly everyone has an opinion about how it is best handled. This is not a topic I would have chosen for this ministry site, but I think God has placed it on my heart for a reason. Worldly wisdom on how we should handle money versus God’s teachings are vastly different, and I hope for all of God’s children to recognize this conflict in a way that pleases God.
Let us consider how worldly principles compare to the principles taught by God using these five common examples below:
1. Save and store up as much as you can. (worldly view)
***compared to***
Matthew 6:19-21, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (NLT)
2. The richer you are, the better off you will be. (worldly view)
***compared to***
Mark 10:20-25, “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” (NLT)
3. With money, you can buy all the things that make you happy. (worldly view)
***compared to***
Ecclesiastes 5:10-12, “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.” (NLT)
4. Money will provide for all of your needs. (worldly view)
***compared to***
Matthew 6:25-33, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (NLT)
5. It is okay to use credit and loans to get what you want now, but if you accidentally borrow too much, you can always declare bankruptcy. (worldly view)
***compared to***
Romans 13:8, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another.” (NLT) Psalms 37:21, “The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.” (NLT)
Consider this one final piece of scripture concerning money in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (NLT)
The conflict between worldly views and God’s teachings on money can easily be seen. So what then is a good investment of our money? I say through wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit that the only things truly worth investing in are the kingdom of God and then helping those in need in that order of importance. Again, what could be more important than supporting a ministry that spreads the good news of Jesus Christ and helps lead people to salvation and eternal life? Then secondly, how better to spend our money than to love others as ourselves as God commanded by helping each other when in need? May God give us all wisdom and understanding of what truly has value in this world and what deserves our investment, in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!
(Posted: April 2016)