“For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains” (1 Timothy 6:10 NET).
If we are honest with ourselves, we may have to admit that it is sometimes difficult to use money in way that honors God.
For instance, our purchasing decisions may become a form of “retail therapy” that helps us escape the pressures and demands of everyday life. Or perhaps we may overextend a line of credit in order to keep pace with others or acquire things that promote an image we wish to project. These examples (and others like them) often make it difficult to make God-honoring financial decisions.
Another example might include the type of mindset that says, “I worked hard to get the money I have and I have the right to spend it however I wish.” While this may be an accurate statement for a hardworking individual, we should recognize the difference between a right and an obligation for those who seek to honor God.
For instance, the Biblical Scriptures clearly affirm the virtue of hard work. This is an area where Paul the Apostle led by example…
“You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive'” (Acts 20:34-35 NIV).
However, we should also acknowledge that the ability to engage in hard work (along with every other talent and ability we possess) originates with the sovereign God who graciously provides us with such things. Therefore, a person who possesses the qualities that are necessary for achievement in life should recognize that we do not possess anything that God has not allowed us to have.
Once we acknowledge that we owe everything to God’s gracious provision, it becomes easier to use our money and possessions in ways that honor Him. This important Biblical precept is best summarized by the following passage from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy…
“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18 NIV).