Material

How does The Whole steward think about material possessions?  Does God want you to be healthy and wealthy?  Does God want you to sell everything to have treasure in heaven? Are earthly possessions a blessing from God or a hindrance?

God’s perspective on this matter is abundant throughout scripture. As I read the scriptures, I started studying and noting any and every reference to earthly possessions and wealth in the Bible. What I found amazed me! 

On the one hand,

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

On the other hand,

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33

Two Extremes

There are two extremes on this matter.  They are called The Prosperity Gospel and The Poverty Gospel. 

The Prosperity Gospel teaches health and wealth are a sign of God’s favor.  If you have enough faith God will make you healthy and wealthy. If you are sick or poor, it’s because you don’t have enough faith or the right kind of faith.

The Poverty Gospel teaches earthly wealth is evil, material possessions are a hindrance, rich people are ungodly and righteousness can be earned through self-denial. It often manifests itself in certain isolationist cults, extreme self-denial and asceticism commonly found in monasteries. 

Both extremes are inconsistent with the whole teaching of Scripture. So let’s dig in to gain a broad understanding of God’s perspective for material possessions, so you can be a better steward of this area of your life.

Sell it all?

You might be thinking Christians should not be rich. Your treasure and inheritance is in heaven.  You’re not concerned with wealth on earth. As Jesus said

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19–21

Earth has many good things which bring God glory. He made everything.  He also made the people who make things out of the raw material.  But everything on earth is under the curse of Genesis 3. Nothing on this earth lasts forever, and the creation groans even for its own redemption.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:20–21

When you trust in Christ, you surrender everything to him.  It doesn’t mean immediately divest yourself of every physical possession so you are destitute. You simply treat everything you have as though it is His.  If He asks you for it all, you willingly obey. If he gives you more, you are thankful and manage it well. 

How are you doing? One way to gauge your love for Christ vs. your possessions is by your reaction when He takes them away.  Do you become disheartened and sorrowful, like The Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10:22? Perhaps angry, like Job’s wife in Job 2:9?  Or can you say as Job did: 

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 1:21

There are many examples in scripture of the Lord asking for or taking away the material wealth of someone. He has the right to do so, since everything is His anyway.

• Job lost everything when God allowed it (Job 1:21-22)
• Joseph lost everything when he was framed (Genesis 39:20)
• King David lost everything when he fled from Absalom (2 Samuel 15:16-17, 30)
• Elijah lost everything when he fled from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:3-5)
• The Shunammite woman was made to sojourn during famine (2 Kings 8:1-2)
• Peter and the others left everything to follow Christ (Mark 10:28)
• Barnabas sold his property to meet the needs of the church (Acts 4:34-37)
• Paul was content with plenty and hunger, abundance and need. (Philippians 4:11-13)

If God asks you to sell or give what you have, or takes it away, it’s best to obey and bless the Lord. God’s promises transcend the earthly pleasures of this short life.

You may become aware of a need that God puts on your heart to meet. Or you may determine through the Spirit, Word and prayer you should divest yourself of a material possession to give to a spiritual cause.

Always remember it is God who gives you the power to get wealth, enjoy it and use it to further spread the good news of the kingdom of God. There are countless examples throughout scripture of men and women of the faith who honored God with great material possessions. Here are just a few:

• Abraham (Genesis 13:2)
• Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14)
• Jacob (Genesis 20:43)
• Joseph (Genesis 39:3, 45:18)
• Lot (Genesis 13:5-6)
• Job (Job 1:1-3)
• Boaz (Ruth 2:4)
• Abigail (1 Samuel 25:2-3)
• King David (1 Chronicles 22:14)
• Solomon (2 Chronicles 1:12)
• An excellent wife (Proverbs 31:10-31)
• Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:27)
• Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2-10)
• Levi/Matthew (Mark 2:14-15)
• Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57)
• Nicodemus (John 19:39)
• Cornelius (Acts 10:1-2)
• Mary (John 12:3)
• Lydia (Acts 16:14-15)
• Tabitha (Acts 9:36)
• Barnabas (Acts 4:37)
• Philemon (Philemon 1-2)

Many of these great men and women had massive amounts of material possessions.  But they used them to serve the Lord.  Manage your wealth well by serving others and furthering God’s kingdom. When God blesses you with more, you can do more and share more.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:16

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

1 John 3:17

Keep it all?

The Whole Steward cares well for his or her material possessions.  It is hard work. It takes time, money and resources to acquire and preserve material wealth. In Matthew 6:19 Jesus listed the many threats to your material possessions. They can be worn out, destroyed or stolen.

You can do this better by owning few things, owning things of value and sharing. Be careful not to own more than you can properly handle and care for well. The less you own, the easier it is to manage what you own.

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Luke 12:15

Understand that having wealth and owning physical possessions is compatible with Jesus teaching to not store up treasures on earth. Jesus does not ask everyone to give up their earthly possessions, but He does ask some to. He asks everyone to enjoy, care and share.

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

For a short time He puts in our name what He has made and entrusted to us. The possessions have your name on it to use, enjoy and invest, but everything belongs to Christ. The pitfall is to think after you’ve given your tithe or more, the rest belongs to you for whatever you want. 

When Jesus asked The Rich Young Ruler to sell all that he had and give it to the poor, promising him treasure in heaven, He touched the heart of the man’s idolatry. This man’s stumbling block was his self righteousness and possessions.  He had everything he ever wanted in life, and he simply asked to add on eternal life. For this man, total surrender and obedience was to follow Christ’s specific commands to sell what he had. 

Do not think selling everything you have and giving it to the poor will earn you eternal life. Jesus is asking for total and complete surrender in obedience, which only comes through true faith.  That means desiring to honor God above all else, and specifically in handling your material possessions. Only then will you know through the Spirit and His Word what to keep and what to sell.

Here are some examples of faithful material wealth management throughout scripture.

• Abraham prevented a family feud by giving preference to Lot (Genesis 13:8-9). He also led forth his personal household 318 man trained army to bring back all the stolen people and possessions. (Genesis 13:14-16)
• Joseph preserved his family (Genesis 45:21-24) 
• The people of Israel obeyed by asking for silver and gold (Exodus 12:35-36)
• The Spirit of God filled craftsman to skillfully build the Tabernacle of Lord (Exodus 35:30-35)
• Job managed many material possessions while being blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil (Job 1:1-3)
• Abigail saved David from bloodguilt through material gifts and discretion (1 Samuel 25:33)
• David painstakingly provided materials in the hundreds of billions of dollars range for the temple build (1 Chronicles 22:14-16)
• Solomon wisely directed many of the largest real estate development projects ever undertaken (1 Kings 3-10, See 1 Kings 5:5)
• Zacchaeus gave to the poor while hosting dinner for Jesus and sinners (Luke 19:2-10)
• Joseph of Arimathea provided the tomb where Jesus was laid (Matthew 27:57)
• Mary kept very expensive perfume for a good purpose (John 12:3)
• Barnabas made land deals funding ministry of the early church (Acts 4:37)
• Tabitha was full of good works and acts of charity. (Acts 9:36)
• Lydia insisted on housing the missionaries at Philippi (Acts 16:14-15)
• Philemon hosted the church in his house and refreshed Paul in ministry (Philemon 1-2)

Striking the Balance

If you think about what you own right now, can you specifically identify why you own it and how you are honoring the Lord with it?  Seek the Lord in prayer for what to give, sell and keep. He will often make it clear through specific commands in scripture or life circumstances with spiritual implications such as a brother in need.

Make sure you are giving God your very best and honoring Him with all the possessions He’s entrusted to you.

Honor the Lord with your wealth

    and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

then your barns will be filled with plenty,

    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 3:9-10

Summary

It is God who gives us wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them. We are to surrender to His purposes all our possessions for His glory and kingdom, recognizing they all belong to Him, and care for them as such. 

Reflect