No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. Matthew 6:24 NLT
My husband used to say I didn’t understand the purpose of a hammer. I have gained quite a reputation (not a good one 😊) for grabbing whatever is handy when I want to pound or nail something. It might be a shoe, a book, a rock – whatever. Charlie would see it and shake his head with a wry smile, “You know there’s a tool for that and I am pretty sure it’s not the one you’re using.”
Tools are great. Great if they are used for the proper purpose. Jesus specified that we are NOT to be slaves of money. We are created to be in charge of our money, to use it as a tool to do the right things. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to attempt using money as a tool to acquire happiness, self-worth, admiration, and possessions. You probably know someone who uses money to create an impression, to hoard for possible hard times, or just to gain personal satisfaction. But money is not the tool to do that. It will never “nail it.”
God intends money to be a tool that you use wisely. You don’t casually spend – you work with God to spend and invest your money. You use your money to honor Him, and to be part of His mission on this earth. The Bible records specific guidelines for making that happen. The money you give to the local church, to missions, and to causes around the world is vital to His Kingdom building here. Pastor and author Steve Bezner says, “Instead of following the values of Jesus and caring for the needs of the world, too many are caught up in chasing the American dream. Jesus points to a different way of being in this world.”
Your money is also a tool to provide for your family’s needs. You budget to enable the necessities of life and the little extras that bring joy and create forever memories with those you love. You plan for the future without obsessing. You give to God’s Kingdom; you wisely save intentionally so you can meet future needs and also have something to share as needs and opportunities present themselves. You use money as a tool to make a difference in time and eternity.
Time and financial resources are two of the significant tools God has given you and I to work with Him. Neither have any value except for what they are exchanged. Time and money are both finite – they don’t last forever except as invested in God’s priorities.
- Invest some of your precious, expendable time in evaluating your priorities of time and money as a tool. Anything need to change?