On Money

What follows is not the same as what I have written on tithing. It is the first of three big topics.

Money is liquid creation. Money allows you to acquire or access parts of creation. Money like all of creation is a gift from God. We are to use it. Wisely.

We should love God and use money. Too often we do the opposite.

As a leader in your home, at work, in the community and in the congregation, it is crucial that you have a proper understanding of and practice with money.

DON’T FEAR IT

Many people are afraid about not having enough money. They are afraid of falling into some sort of situation that they will not have money enough to solve. Or they are afraid that they will not have enough money to buy all the stuff, see all the places or do all the things they want.

Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” He reminded his followers, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” See Matthew 6:25 and ff.

Fear serves as a breeding ground for faulty thinking. You will not be smart about money if you have fear about it. If you find yourself being afraid that you are missing out on the good things in life, be careful. You may be at the trail head of a bad path.

On the flip side, some faithful Christians are afraid when they end up with a lot of money. They are afraid that it is somehow bad to have money. Not at all. Whether you have a lot or a little, the issue is never the money but how we manage it faithfully as a child of God.

Do not be afraid if you do not have much. Do not be afraid if you have a lot. See your financial situation more as a function of God’s deployment in his mission field than a function of safety in life.

DON’T LOVE IT

The Scripture is quite clear that the love of money is the source of all kinds of evil. To love (agape) is to be fiercely committed to the well-being of something, no matter what the cost.

In fact many people do love money in this way. They will ruin their health, their family, their reputation to do whatever it takes to get, keep and accumulate money and the things it can buy.

Here are some danger signs about the love of money creeping into your life. Are you exhausted from working too many hours? Do you resent the money it costs to feed, clothe and house your family? Have you begun to shave the truth a little about things at work or your purchases or your taxes? Do you find yourself becoming stingy with the things you own? Do you spend an excessive amount of time focused on managing and increasing your money? 

Jesus warns us that we cannot love two masters. The heart has room for only one true love. We cannot love God and money.

We will love one.

The Apostle John teaches, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave” 1 John 2:15-17

DON’T TRUST IT

Ahhhh…. finally, the student loans are all paid for, the house is clear, the kids are grown and out of the house, the retirement is fully funded… I am all set.

“Fool, this night your soul is required of you.” Luke 12:20

The man in Jesus’ story was not wrong to do what he did. He was wrong in his assessment of where he was. He thought he was set because of his financial situation; he had put his trust in his money.

One of the great problems with money as liquid creation is that it is subject to all the uncertainty with which the rest of creation suffers. Remember, this world is creaking and groaning as it lurches forward to its end. Time and chance and decay work against all things this side of the New Creation that is to come.

As in all other things, there is no certainty in money. To trust in money is to build your life on Jell-O. Paul warns, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” I Timothy 6:17

Money. Use it. Steward it. But do not trust it. Companies go out of business. Stock markets collapse. Government programs change. “Our help is in the name of the LORD who made the heavens and the earth!” Psalm 124:8

TWO MORE THINGS

God does expect you to manage well what he has given you. You should focus on proper management of the money God entrusts to you. There are lots of good resources. Key parts of proper management of money are budgeting, saving and eliminating debt. Books and programs to help you with this abound.

Tithing is the best tool to keep your loves ordered. St. Augustine wrote about sin as disordered love. As stated at the beginning, we are to love God and use things; too often we do the opposite.  Luther identified God as that which we fear, love and trust the most. Tithing will serve you well to make sure you fear, love and trust the One who really is God… and good.