As people of faith, we have tools to help moderate the way money can take over our thoughts and propel our actions (sometimes not quite for the better). Here are seven things every Christian should consider about money.
7 Things Every Christian Should Consider About Money
Money! Money! Money! It can motivate us, enrich us, and certainly frustrate us. We cannot live without it today, but there are many times we wish it was not such a big focus in what we do and say. Fortunately, as people of faith, we have tools to help moderate the way money can take over our thoughts and propel our actions (sometimes not quite for the better). Here are seven things every Christian should consider about money:
It’s No Mystery
Although the world of high finance and economics might seem too complex to understand, the basics of home finances can be learned, if we take the time. The more we know about how money works in our daily lives, the more control we can have over it.
It’s Okay to Make Money
Although some might try to make us feel guilty about it, there’s no biblical law against earning a living, or even succeeding greatly in our chosen field. What is important is how we use the money we make, and how we balance our time and attention so that we do not become obsessed with it.
It’s a Powerful Tool
Making ends meet can be very challenging. But with our money, we have a powerful tool to express our values through what we buy and how we use it. Each purchase is an extension of our Christian walk, and when we understand that, we can strengthen our faith and the example we set for others.
It’s a Way to Support Good Works
Not all of us can be missionaries, traveling abroad to spread the Gospel. And not all of us can quit our current jobs and volunteer full-time for worthy causes. But even the smallest donation to one or another cause such as these can make a huge difference – and support others’ good works. As we understand that no donation is too small to matter, we can open our eyes to the possibilities of doing good beyond our limited means.
It’s a Way to Teach
Financial literacy is important for everyone, but especially for those young girls and boys who will someday be in positions of great responsibility in our society. Beyond balancing the checkbook, strive to impart responsible lessons about the good that money can do and the importance of discipline and proper stewardship of it.
It’s Nothing to be Afraid Of
Those coins and bills are not intrinsically evil, but some individuals’ approaches to money can take on sinister intentions and do great harm if they allow themselves to be corrupted by it. As you improve your knowledge of how money works and what it can do, keeping close to the Lord in prayer, and to your faith community, can help you avoid temptations and stay on a right path.
It’s Not Who We Are
There will always be people who have more money than you do, and people who have less. But nobody will be who you are: uniquely and very preciously you. The less we identify ourselves solely with our financial situation and tie it into our self-worth, the more we will become the individuals God has intended us to be. And as we grow in wisdom, we will also rise above our tethers to money and find ways to use it to promote God’s Word and love.