The Grip of Money

 The Grip of Money

Wealth has a curious effect on the human heart. Far from being neutral about the way we use our money, God devotes many words of Scripture to help us develop a proper heart posture toward it. In fact, the Bible mentions money, wealth and possessions over 2,000 times! In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus points out that money and God are rivaling masters. If you love money, you will despise God. He says, “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) 

Is money bad? Scripture never says so, although it does say that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

 We don’t see prohibitions about earning, using, or saving money.

 Proverbs 21:20 tells us that “the wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.” 

Wealth is a ferocious master, but it can be an excellent servant. 

On the other hand, we cannot ignore that in Scripture, being part of the Kingdom of Heaven is linked to financial generosity, especially for those who are rich.

 When the wealthy tax collector Zacchaeus followed Jesus, he pledged to give half of his possessions to the poor (Luke 19:8).

 In Jesus’ parable of the unnamed rich man and the beggar Lazarus, the rich man who did not show generosity to Lazarus found himself in eternal torment (Luke 16:19-31). 

Zacchaeus’ treasure was in heaven, and so he was generous with his treasure on earth. The rich man’s treasure was on earth, and he was left without an inheritance in heaven.

Rethinking Our Wealth: 4 Steps

So if we are rich, and if Jesus is warning of the dangers of riches, what can we take away from this passage?

1. First, check your dependency. Are your thoughts focused on God, or on money and possessions?

Try this exercise: Think of something you are hoping to purchase soon. Do you believe that purchase will bring you happiness? Can you be content in Christ, even if you don’t buy it?

2. Second, we have much to learn from those in poverty. If wealth obscures our view of God, poverty can bring sharp clarity. Seek out opportunities to spend time with people who have experienced daily dependence on God’s provision. Child sponsorship is a great place to form this type of relationship with a family living in poverty while practicing Jesus’ instruction to be openhanded with those in need.

3. Third, use your wealth for good. It’s a simple concept that pays powerful dividends for the posture of our hearts. Jesus told the rich young man to give his wealth to the poor, not to throw it in the Jordan River. He is asking us to come to Him with the perspective that all we have belongs to Him. Whatever He asks us to do with what we have, our answer is to be, “Yes, Lord!”

4. Finally, thank God for making a way so that even the wealthy can approach His throne! 

 “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Used in the right way, wealth is a blessing that we can steward God’s finances to bless the kingdom at large.

It often surprises Christians when they discover just how much the Bible talks about money. In fact there are more than 2300 verses on money, wealth and possessions. 

Jesus spoke about money roughly 15% of his preaching and 11 out of 39 parables. 

It was his most talked about topic.

But Why?

This passage in Matthew gives us a clue:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  

Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus spoke about money, not because he was obsessed with money, or that he wanted us to have lots of it, but because he knew that money was a heart issue and that it is one of the most likely reasons for someone to not follow him or to give up on him.

Money is important because…..

The money you have in your wallet has no intrinsic value, it is worth what the Government says its worth. It is essentially morally neutral and powerless. The Devil uses money to seduce us and that is when it can become powerful in a negative direction. He wants you to fall in love with it, so you will become a slave to money rather than its master. The flip slide is when we use money as a tool to invest in God’s kingdom; money becomes a powerful instrument of good.

Think for a moment about contemporary society. How many people’s lives have been ruined because they have been seduced by money? They choose a job because of what it pays not because of the fulfilment it provides. In Australia one survey said that nearly 60% of people would quit their job tomorrow if they had more money. Their job choice and decision to remain is heavily influenced by money.

Money is important to the extent that how we think about it will impact how we behave with it. Taking this one step further, how we think and behave with money reflects our spiritual condition. When we hoard money; or are envious of other’s money; or spend money we don’t have (debt) then there is a good chance we have been seduced!

Jesus us present us with a clear choice:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Matthew 6:24

The issue is simple – whom will we serve? Will we serve God or will we serve money. Notice Jesus said you ‘cannot’ serve both. It is impossible, it is one or the other and all of us most choose. I heard it likened to trying to chase two rabbits at the same time – it can’t be done!

Why did Jesus make such a tough statement? Because he knew that our relationship with God would be deeply impacted by our relationship with money. If we worry about money then we wont be trusting God.   If we are chasing after money then it’s doubtful that we’re chasing after God and trying to advance his kingdom.

As with the above verse much of what God’s word says about money are warning messages. God wants nothing to come between him and us. Sometimes God prevents people from gaining wealth because he knows that it will harm them. He is not trying to deny them; he is trying to protect them.

Lastly, we have a culture drowning in debt. It is so widespread and so ingrained that very few people, believers and unbelievers alike stop to consider the ramifications. It is not just a problem at the individual level, but at the corporate and Government levels as well. The United States owes $60,000,000,000,000. This monumental sum cannot be repaid and therefore won’t be repaid.   The verses on debt in the bible are all warning messages. The Bible warns us that debt can lead to slavery! How true that is today.

The Bible talks about money because God loves you and he doesn’t want it to harm you, rather he wants you to use it as a tool to bless your family, others and to fund the advance of his kingdom.