I've been thinking a lot about money these days. Oh, not mine, but everyone else's. At least, that's how it feels. With the Presidential nomination season fully in place, it seems all I hear about is how much money this one has, how much that one will spend, how much the other one has spent, and what it all will mean to all our pocketbooks in the future. We seem to be moving from a system in which from the lowest income to the highest was a continuum, to one in which there are folks on the low end, folks in a blob in the middle, and folks so far on the upper we can't see them or imagine their incomes. I've been on the low end, and I know how exhausting and demoralizing it can be. I can't imagine being on the top, mostly because whenever I get "extra" money I give it away. How does a person just continually accumulate wealth? I don't get it.
Jesus spoke often about poverty, wealth, and what to do with our money. I think the statements boil down to this: If your wealth gets between you and your relationship with God, get rid of it; If your wealth is more than you need (NEED being the operative word), give the excess away; If you have received it by immoral/unethical means then stop and give it back. I don't imagine that the obscenely wealthy among us will do any of the above, which is why we're always surprised when they do become benevolent, but we in the middle must not become complacent. It is easy for us to justify holding on to what we have in case we need it. We cannot live our lives in fear. Decide what your absolute needs are, then step out in faith and share with others.
Holy God who supplies all our needs, we come before you admitting that money is a subject that often consumes us. While the love of money might be the root of all evil, just thinking about money can also disrupt our ability to follow you as we know we should. Keep us from concentrating on money to the point that we miss opportunities for ministry in your name. Free us to joyfully follow you and serve your people in whatever way you need. Let us rely on you to care for us as you do the plants and animals around us. Amen
Jesus spoke often about poverty, wealth, and what to do with our money. I think the statements boil down to this: If your wealth gets between you and your relationship with God, get rid of it; If your wealth is more than you need (NEED being the operative word), give the excess away; If you have received it by immoral/unethical means then stop and give it back. I don't imagine that the obscenely wealthy among us will do any of the above, which is why we're always surprised when they do become benevolent, but we in the middle must not become complacent. It is easy for us to justify holding on to what we have in case we need it. We cannot live our lives in fear. Decide what your absolute needs are, then step out in faith and share with others.
Holy God who supplies all our needs, we come before you admitting that money is a subject that often consumes us. While the love of money might be the root of all evil, just thinking about money can also disrupt our ability to follow you as we know we should. Keep us from concentrating on money to the point that we miss opportunities for ministry in your name. Free us to joyfully follow you and serve your people in whatever way you need. Let us rely on you to care for us as you do the plants and animals around us. Amen
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