MONEY, MONEY, MONEY – some say you can’t live without it, and yet so many can’t live with it! Often, it’s so vital to an individual that it directly competes with one’s ability to even know and/or faithfully serve the Lord. Even though “money” itself is not inherently evil, wicked, or sinful, the undeniable truth is that any amount of money can be accompanied by many temptations and much danger.
King Solomon, who in today’s economy would have had a net worth of around two trillion (2,000,000,000,000 – two thousand billion) in US dollars (source – lovemoney.com), stated in Ecclesiastes 5:10,
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income.”
Here’s an individual who may have earned as much as 2,000,000,000 (yes, billion) a year through trade/commerce, tributes, and taxation (enough to spend a million dollars a day for 2000 years, or $5,479,452,054.70 a day for one full year) and what’s he really saying?
- The love of money is never satisfied, kind of like what’s found in Proverbs 30:15-16!
“There are three things that will not be satisfied, four that will not say, “Enough”: Sheol, and the barren womb, earth that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough.”
2. Abundance (Hebrew root, hamon; in this text, meaning a great number of things, wealth, and / or funds) will never satisfy! Isn’t there always something else, something more, something better?
Augustine of Hippo (early church father, aka St. Augustine) declared, “Until we find our rest in Him, no amount of wealth can ever satisfy.”
While undoubtedly greed is an instigator, a motivational chauffeur that drives individuals to dissatisfaction … who will actually come before the Lord with the heavy load of their unquenchable desire for more and place it on the altar? Is there genuine peace … a full release of the restlessness in one’s heart with the sacrifice of “wants” and all its embellishments? Remember, those trappings are “never satisfied!”
Scripturally speaking, money / wealth / the accumulation of things is one of the greatest areas for a believer to demonstrate one’s trust in the Lord. Isn’t that why our scriptures are overflowing with references to money and possessions?
While certainly many have been blessed materially all their lives, Brenda and I included, that doesn’t mean there weren’t tough or difficult times. In fact, everyone who has, perhaps what some would call an abundance, directly dealt with, or is currently dealing with, the spiritual issue of money, wealth and possessions. Specifically, the devastating sin of greed, which according to Proverbs 28:22, a person with a evil eye (stingy, covetous, greedy) hastens and searches for wealth not knowing or understanding that “want,” in essence, poverty, is the ultimate result. That’s why believers are reminded:
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”
Hebrews 13:5-6
For this to happen (become realty in one’s life), one must adopt a clear biblical view of money and wealth, recognizing that we are actually called to wealth creation and sound economics by God’s mandate to humanity in Genesis 1:28 concerning the earth (the word subdue in the Hebrew text means to conquer, subjugate and bring into subjection). Our Lord provides all the resources of this world for us to properly manage as good and faithful stewards. When this actually occurs, within the redeemed framework of human responsibility, it inevitably prompts and directs us towards sound, principle / value-based ethical and moral financial action along with decisions that are sensible, knowledgeable, not hasty, and God-honoring.
Money, wealth, possessions, etc. are all intertwined with one’s spiritual maturity, daily walk, and development. Way too many Christians stagnate right here … ultimately hindering or even draining their spiritual vitality. Sadly, this huge issue is either unrecognized or ignored, often crippling the effectiveness of one’s peace, service and testimony. Now is the time for change and decisive action – may God’s people fully, unrelentingly, uncompromisingly, and willfully align themselves properly with our Lord and His Word / Truth on MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. The world wants to gobble you up … kill, steal, and destroy you on this issue. However, Christ came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly! While the primary focus of this statement from John 10:10 is spiritual, MONEY, for a believer, is spiritual!
His & Yours, PF