How can we tell if we love money?
May 16, 2011
The Base for Grace - part thirty-nine in a study of the book of Hebrews
By Mike Gaudet
We can’t live without money but it’s not okay to love it.
How can we tell if we love money?
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5
The decision to follow Christ cost the first Christians dearly. Converting from Judaism to Christianity amounted to committing financial suicide.
In the “honeymoon stage” of their newfound faith these believers had “joyfully accepted the confiscation” of their property because they knew they “had better and lasting possessions.” Hebrews 10:34
As time wore on, many Jewish Christians came to a crossroads. They found it increasingly difficult to offset the reality of earthly hardships with thoughts of heavenly bliss. Financial hardships made it increasingly difficult to “hang on for heaven.” Some of their friends were choosing to abandon Christianity in order to return to the financial security that Judaism afforded.
Two roads stretched out before them.
The “In Money we trust” road led them to find shelter in wealth from the uncertainties of life.
The “In God we trust” road encouraged them to find refuge in God rather than in money.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” is an encouragement to trust in God and a warning against relying on wealth for provision and protection.
Greed wasn’t much of an issue for first century Jewish Christians. They didn’t have enough money to prime the pump of greed. Greed wasn’t their problem . . . hopelessness was. Because they lacked material resources they felt exposed and vulnerable, unprotected from the uncertainties of life.
King Solomon was the king of Israel when the nation was at the zenith of its security and strength. He revealed that the pursuit of wealth is connected with the search for security. “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.” Proverbs 18:11
Solomon observed that wealth gives a sense of safety and security . . . like living in a “fortified city” or behind “an unscalable wall.” Money promises to protect and provide for those who seek shelter in it. In this respect, money makes “God-like” claims.
God promises, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” He assures us that He will neither let us go nor leave us behind. Money also promises never to leave or forsake those who trust in it. The difference between God and money is that God keeps His promises.
Solomon exposed the deceitful character of riches. “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Proverbs 23:5
We are constantly bombarded with messages linking wealth and security. We are encouraged to “feel safe” with money. This is a mistake. “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:9-10
Money is inherently addictive. Loving money is like loving narcotics. Narcotics have beneficial properties. However, they are to be used cautiously, in full realization of their addictive properties. Money is a spiritual narcotic.
Rather than hunker down inside a bank account, Solomon exhorts us to find refuge in God . . . “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10 God is a reliable source of security. This is why Solomon encourages us to transfer our trust from having money in our pocket to having God at our side.
According to Jesus, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24
When our backs are to the wall, we will either trust in God or we will trust in money.
Both promise not to leave or forsake you.
One of them never will.