5 Money Myths By Pete BriscoeSample

Aligning your life to truths, not myths

I reject your reality, and substitute my own. —Mythbusters' Adam Savage after adding his percentages to 120%

Have you seen Mythbusters? Great TV for the whole family (except for women, maybe, who don't seem to understand the male fascination with blowing stuff up). Mythbusters designs experiments to test commonly held beliefs:

• Would a bull really cause destruction in a china shop?
• Are elephants really afraid of mice?
• Is it possible to teach an old dog new tricks?
• Is shooting fish in a barrel really easy?
• Is it better to run in a straight line or in a zigzag if a crocodile is chasing you?

Some of the results are obvious, but other results are completely contrary to what is expected. It seems that there are plenty of things that we believe that are way off base. Same goes with Christians and money. Personally, I’d like to start a show called Stewardship Mythbusters. (Yeah, that would go over really big with advertisers. I know.) So, since my chances of making prime time are pretty slim, let me bust a few stewardship myths with you okay?

Myth #1: An increase in money increases satisfaction. The more you get, the happier you get. The more you have, the more peace you have and the simpler life becomes, right?

Um, no.

The truth is that an increase in money increases stress, not satisfaction. The Bible has been saying this all along:

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12)

Numerous national surveys confirm this: After your basic needs are met, more money and more stuff only bring more stress. The "more money = more satisfaction" myth is busted.

Honestly, I think we all know this deep down inside, but for some reason, we seem to fail to act on it. We continue to chase after more and more money and material, looking for satisfaction. Our world puts serious pressure on us to buy "more, more, more" every day. Our flesh loves the temporary fix that riches bring... and Satan? He would like nothing more than to distract us from the true-life satisfaction that is found only in Jesus.

It's going to take some help if we’re going to act according to truth, rather than myth. Praise God that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Jesus, I want to align my life to truth, not myth. I ask that You will show me the truth about where real satisfaction comes from. And then, please, be my strength so I will apply this truth in all the decisions I make today. Amen.