Money Matters


If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16:12

One of the most difficult topics for pastors, teachers and preachers to speak about today is the one that deals with money. The hearers will invariably think that the speaker has a hidden agenda; they think that he is asking for money, so they ‘shut him down’ before he has begun. Sadly this has robbed Christians from much blessing because they have not heard that God wants to bless them and release them to be a blessing, but first they have to be taught how this can happen.

Jesus spoke about money on numerous occasions, and he spoke without apology. (About half of the parables he taught were about money.) He spoke to the rich; he spoke to the poor, and to everyone in between. He taught that if we knew how to handle our money correctly we could receive “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over” (Luke 6:38). If we want confirmation of this we only need to look back into the Old Testament to see the pattern of God’s promises and the conditions for blessing His people. Deuteronomy 28 and Malachi 3:10 are just two of many passages you could read.

In the life of the first patriarch, Abraham, we can see how God blessed Abraham and his descendants after him. They were not afraid of material wealth; they attributed their blessings to God. Sometimes Christians today equate poverty and lack with godliness. They point to Jesus’ life on earth as an example. However we don’t see him lacking anything. People were glad to meet his needs. His coat that they cast lots for at the cross must have been worth having. It was no ordinary coat, it was seamless – scholars tell us it was an expensive piece of clothing. He was obviously not ashamed to wear it!

One time when I was struggling through some of these issues I ‘just happened’ upon a verse which says ‘You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich’. (2 Corinthians 8:9). I thought that this meant spiritually rich but when I dug deeper I discovered that the word ‘rich’ which had been used literally meant “to be made wealthy or be increased with goods”. It made sense to me in the light of the Old Testament teachings.

Jesus told us that we would always have the poor with us; he also taught that we should not ignore the needs of our brothers and sisters and he taught us to give to Caesar (the government) what belonged to them (taxes) and to give to God what belonged to God.

What we do with our money matters a lot to God. We are blessed to be a blessing to in this world. “It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything.” Proverbs 11:24 NLT. The sure way to have enough for your needs with more left over to bless others is to give (2 Corinthians 9:6-11). I take this very seriously, it is God’s promise. God wants us to be faithful with what He gives us. Giving to him is the first thing we should do with our money. In that way we store up treasure in heaven and ensure that our own many needs will be met. God is no man’s debtor.

It is truly more blessed to give than to receive but God wants us to be able to receive from Him too. That’s why He wants us to know how to give. Sowing and reaping is one of his ‘laws of the universe’.

Prayer: Dear God, giver of every good and perfect gift. Help me to be faithful with what you give me so that you can entrust me with more. Help me to get my giving in line with your word and make me a blessing in the Kingdom of God. Amen.