Get Real!

People, and I am talking specifically to Christians here, will do some pretty interesting things to acquire more money and things, while at the same time trying to appear that it doesn’t concern them!

How many times have you heard someone else say (or even said yourself – be honest now), “I would like to start a business, but not for the money” or “money doesn’t mean that much to me” as they barely keep their heads above water while slowly drowning in a sea of debt!

Really? Try not having any at all!

Zig Ziglar has an interesting perspective about money. He says, “Money isn’t everything, but it ranks right up there with oxygen! You can’t live without it.” Money, like oxygen, is not good or evil. It’s our attitude about it and what we do with it that attaches moral attributes to money. Money is essential for getting things done. God has more instructions about money in the Bible than just about anything else. So, it must be important to Him that we understand the nature and purpose of money.

The Bible asks some very poignant questions about money and material things. In the gospel of Mark chapter eight, Jesus addresses his disciples and the others who were with them concerning what is truly important in this life (hint: it’s not us or the things we tend to accumulate).

At the end of His discourse, He poses this question, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)

Since He seemed to be addressing a crowd of both believers and unbelievers (disciples and “the people”, vs. 34) I believe this questions has application to both. This will be addressed in more detail throughout the book.

And, of course, we all know the end of the story of the rich man in Luke 12 who had so much stuff that he decided to build bigger barns to hold it all and then lay back and enjoy the “fruits” of his labor for the rest of his life!

Little did he know how short that life would be! God had an answer for him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21)

Notice that He did not say, “ So is he that layeth up treasure and is not rich toward God”.   He said, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God”!

I believe that most of the attitudes about the relationship between success, money, and believers come from erroneous thinking and teaching. In serving God it is important to understand the concept of stewardship. This is the key that explains the relationship between God, man, and mammon!

Mammon is a great Biblical term! It literally means “wealth personified”! In other words, a person can become so focused on wealth and material success that it becomes their whole identity! Not so for the one who is called to a ministry of Noble Success. To them, wealth is the product of doing well for the purpose of doing good! That’s it.  Simply a tool or product to serve others.  Wow!  That gives us a whole new perspective about money and allows us to pursue our calling without guilt or doubt.

Next time, we will begin focusing more on a calling in general and this calling specifically.  Until then, my friends……Selah. Think on these things.