Money is often the first thought regarding stewardship. Why are Christians often reluctant to talk about it, study it, or focus on growing it?
There much more to stewardship than money management. In fact, money is just one of 9 different forms of capital managed by every person every day.
Perhaps Christians are often reluctant to talk about it, study it, or focus on growing it because of a (mis)understanding about money that seems like a biblical view, but indeed it is not.
You may minimize the role of money in the life of a Christian, but be honest. You interact with it in some way every single day. You spend a significant portion of your life earning it and the rest of your time spending it. God’s word has much to say on the subject, so let’s look at this question closer.
First let’s get a definition of money.
What is money?
Money = a store of value and medium of exchange.
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
2 Thessalonians 3:10–12
Earn A Living:
We take time to combine our physical, intellectual, material and financial abilities within the framework of our spirituality, experience, relationships and culture to create value for others who respond with financial compensation.
Money:
A store of value and medium of exchange.
Value:
Determined by scarcity and utility
You interact with the world around you everyday by working to provide value for others or benefiting from others value provided. Money is simply a convenient way to track work and trade value.
We could certainly barter with one another for goods and services. But then you must want exactly what someone else has and they must have exactly what you want. Since this is inconvenient, we use money as a temporary store of value and medium of exchange.
You honor the Lord when doing those things on His terms, according to His precepts, and in accordance to His Word. This is living out the creation mandate.
Something that is scarce and useful is very valuable. When something is plentiful and not useful, it has no value at all.
Value can be stored in many different forms of capital. One of those is financial capital, such as money, however it is certainly not the only one. Is it possible storing value in one form could be evil, while storing value in the other forms is not?
Is money the root of all evil?
The bible says something very different.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
1 Timothy 6:10
The “love of money” is “a root” of “all kinds” of evil. This is a description of covetousness, which is idolatry, and very evil.
Money itself is amoral. It’s not alive. It can do nothing by itself, neither right or wrong, good or bad. It’s how you get it and what you do with it that matters.
There are many scriptures about money and they always take a-moral stance on money itself while always addressing the moral and spiritual implications of how it’s handled.
Money is simply a tool to be used, just like every other thing you have in life. Don’t love it, serve it or worship it. Love God, serve God and worship God.
When it comes to money, we will either worship wealth or worship with our wealth.
Jesse Wisnewski
Some people have a lot of it. Some people have a little. Neither is directly forbidden scripture.
Proverbs 22:2The rich and the poor meet together;
the LORD is the Maker of them all.
However, having more of it, obtained and treated properly, is commended more often. Many great giants of the faith were wealthy. They were not trusting in the uncertainty of riches, but rather managed them well for God’s Glory.
Christians are commanded to do likewise. This is the gift of God and good in His sight.
Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:19
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. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
1 Timothy 6:17–19
Money obtained justly and managed well as the result of hard work, honorable business and service to others glorifies God.
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
Luke 16:10-11
Psalm 115:14–18May the LORD give you increase,
you and your children!
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!
The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
The dead do not praise the LORD,
nor do any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!
Value can be stored in many different forms of capital of which money is just one of those. It can not be wrong to own a store of value in financial form, but totally good in any of the other forms.
No, it comes down to how you manage all the forms of capital for God’s glory.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:5
So glorify God with your money. That is not evil, it is good and fulfilling the law of Christ.
Reflect
Do you think about money as good or bad?
How can being willing to think and talk about money rightly help improve your stewardship spiritually and financially?
Evaluating our actions, deeds, and thoughts is vital to a strong and consistent Christian walk for His glory.
“Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.” Jonathan Edwards
Amen, Gary. Thanks for sharing one of Jonathan Edwards great resolutions. It seems our management of money, along with all else, would fall under the “any respect” category. Especially since scripture has so much to say about it.