Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  

Not to look like a clickbait headline, but did you know you may have more money problems than you think? I’m not talking about needing a bigger 401k or needing to diversify assets. The Bible is clear that money can be a blessing (read Proverbs), and yet it comes with many warning labels. It’s neither all bad nor all good. What all these passages really highlight is that money shines a bright light on where our hope lies. How can we know that our hope lies in God and not money?  

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God wants to talk about money because money shows what’s going on in our heart, and before you think, “I’m not wealthy, so this passage doesn’t apply to me,” I’m afraid it does. The Bible gives no specific income bracket at which point we should be concerned. Nowhere does the Bible say, “Once you reach the top 25% of income earners, you should start checking yourself.” Instead, Paul gave behaviors for which we should all be on the lookout. God clearly doesn’t want the love of money to fill our hearts, but what does he want to see instead?  

First, that we put our hope in God. Anytime we place our hope in anything other than God, it drives a wedge between us and our Heavenly Father. Money is unique in that it gives us a sense of counterfeit control and autonomy. If we own everything in this existence, but this existence is temporary and passing away, what does it matter? What would you think of someone quitting their job and telling everyone off after they acquired millions in a game of Monopoly? I’m sure that’s about the same energy God sees in us when we trust in money.  

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Second, God wants us to do good and be rich in good deeds. In other words, instead of looking to a large bank account to fulfill us or build wealth, Paul is saying that we should be really focused on good deeds. Why good deeds? Because these actions contribute to our eternal treasure in heaven. How does all that work? Is there a deed-to-eternal-treasure exchange rate in heaven? I couldn’t say for sure, but that is essentially what Scripture tells us. We could get lost talking about whether a good deed is good or not if you’re doing it solely for the sake of earning a reward, but we’ll circle back to that another day.  

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Third, he wants us to be generous. Have you spent time around generous people? I mean someone who is genuinely generous and not simply putting on a show. You may go years without even realizing all that they do. There’s a certain humility to them, a sense of perspective. Money has little or no hold on them because they see themselves as a temporary steward of it. It’s not fake humility. It’s a clear understanding that God ultimately owns everything, and they’re excited they can give an account of how they used this resource to bless others.  

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The implication is clear – just because you aren’t flying a private jet doesn’t mean you’re impervious to being enslaved by money. You can have only a dime to your name and be just as ensnared to the love of money as a billionaire, because when all the temporary semantics are stripped away, what really matters is whether we trust in God or money. If you’re not sure in which you put more hope, check your bank statement.  

Father, we want to honor you with our finances, even if doing so is unnerving and requires sacrifice. We pray that we would honor you with our finances in our hearts and in our actions, regardless of our income.