Money Matters to God

Spirituality Column #34
July 3, 2007
Current! In Carmel (IN) newspaper

Money Matters to God
By Bob Walters

God has a lot to say about how we handle money - 2,350 verses in the Bible address the subject.
Most of what the Bible says about money isn’t about giving, it’s about wisdom and stewardship; about handling money in a Godly way.

What God wants us to understand is:
1. It’s not how much money we have, it’s what we do with the money we do have.
2. It’s not “our” money any way. It’s God’s money.

The Bible points out that God made and owns everything in the earth (Psalm 24:1, Leviticus 25:23). The Old Testament outlines specific laws about tithing (giving one-tenth of money and assets to God), laws that do not appear in the New Testament.

The New Testament instead instructs us to give everything we have to the Lord. Luke 14:33 goes so far as to exhort us to give up all possessions to be a disciple of Christ. At the very least that means give all our possessions to God’s priorities.

Still, we’ve all sat in church and heard a sermon on tithing. A lot of us squirm on those days. Yet the most inspiring messages I’ve heard about church giving haven’t been from the pulpit, they’ve been from people who have literally given all they could of their worldly wealth, talent, time and love to the service of others in the name of Christ.

You can’t go wrong tithing and giving money to the poor – it’s a great start – and you also can’t go wrong studying the Bible for its wealth of all-encompassing money and stewardship principles.

Especially if your financial outlook is dark, Bible knowledge on money helps bring light.

There are many Biblical financial management studies available (Crown Financial Ministries, www.crown.org is one) available in many churches throughout the country. Ask your minister or pastor about what’s offered at your church.

Worship God not money; but money’s important, and so is what God has to say about it.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), figures we can never give back to Christ all that we owe Him for our salvation; but we should at least be diligent and smart in trying.