Day 2 - What is Money?

Money.

What comes to mind when you think of money?

Maybe you think of how you don’t have enough? Maybe you hate it? Love it? Think of something you want to buy? Think of greedy people or someone who is poor financially? Immediately change the topic because you hate talking about it? Feel excited at the thought of having money? Think of Las Vegas or the lottery? Maybe you think of someone who has ruined their life because of money?

Many of us think a million different things about money as soon as it is mentioned. Most of the time, it’s something about our personal experience with money.

As I learned some principles about money from the Bible, I had to start with the very beginning about the thought of money. What is it? Why do we even have it? Have you ever actually thought about that?

The short answer is this:

Money is a tool God gives us to accomplish His purposes.

How did we get to that conclusion and definition of money? Keep reading.

I understand everyone who is reading this may not follow Jesus and that’s ok, but for those who do follow Jesus, we are called to be stewards of what God has given us. A steward is someone who takes care of someone else’s possessions.

So then it begs the question, who possesses money? Who is in charge of it?

The answer is God. Even if you don’t follow Jesus today, I’d encourage you to read on and consider who is ultimately in charge of money.

How Much Of What We Have Is God’s?

• Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Deuteronomy 10:14
• Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. Job 41:11b
• The earth is The Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1
• For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. Psalm 50:10-12
• The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. Psalm 89:11

Then, What Does The Bible Have To Say About Stewardship and Money?

• Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19:17
• Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required… Luke 12:48
• But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1 Timothy 6:9-10
• Instruct those who are rich to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share... 1 Timothy 6:17-19
• Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
• No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money. Matthew 6:24
• In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35
• The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Proverbs 22:7
• And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Everything belongs to God and His money is a tool He gives us to accomplish His purposes.

How Much Importance Does God Put On What We Do With His Possessions?

Consider the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30

The background of this story is found in Matthew 24:3 when the disciples were asking Jesus “What’s it going to be like when you come back?" And Jesus responds in the next two chapters in Matthew 24 and 25.

In this parable, He talks about how the Master goes away, gives His servants money, and then comes back has everyone give an account. And to the one who did nothing with the money, that person is called wicked and lazy.

What does this have to tell us?
Whose money did the servants have? The Master's.
Why did they have the money? To their ability, further the Master’s plans.
What happened when the Master returned? They gave an account.

All we have is His, all we earn is for Him and His purposes, and He’s going to want to know what we did with it when He returns.

Faithful In Little, Faithful In Much Principle

In Luke 16:10-13, we see there’s a general biblical principle that teaches that when you are faithful in little, you’ll be faithful in much. Likewise, if you’re unfaithful in little, you’ll be unfaithful in much.

The “little” here in Luke 16 is money and possessions.

The “much” here in Luke 16 is our relationship with the Lord Himself.

What does “if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s” mean? It reinforces that what we have isn’t ours to begin with.

What does “who will give you that which is your own” mean? It means God isn’t going to give us more of Himself (much) if we haven’t taken care of things like money and possessions (little).

This means that getting our finances in order is one of the most important things we should do spiritually after choosing to follow Jesus and committing our lives to Him.

Don’t miss this point! I didn’t get this for a long time and not only have I now seen it IS true, but I believe it would have made an earlier difference in my life if I understood it.