LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Feb. 22 : Wisdom about money begins with right priorities_20904

Posted: 2/06/04

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Feb. 22

Wisdom about money begins with right priorities

Selected Proverbs

By John Duncan

Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury

Proverbial wisdom indicates life is short and so is money. The Apostle Paul warned the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Money, by itself, is neutral. It is not evil, but rather the root of all kinds of evil in the world. It is neither good nor bad. Possessing lots of money or very little does not matter to God. How you use money is what matters.

People look at what a person earns or where he lives, but God looks at what a person gives and into his or her heart. However, one thing stands clear. Money creates more stress, anxiety and trouble than any other commodity in the history of humankind. Still, it is a necessary commodity.

The writer of Proverbs knows of money, its temptation, its power to possess rather than be possessed, its necessity and the companions that can potentially walk by its side–pride, greed, theft, lust and jealousy. Proverbs does two things: (1) it warns; (2) it supplies wisdom for daily living. View finances wisely under the watchful eye of God.

Attitude

The writer of Proverbs does not start a discussion of money by talking about the currency you can hold in your hand. He starts by speaking to the heart of a person's values. He says, “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life” (22:4). Money starts with an attitude that blossoms in the heart: Fear God, first; second, humble yourself before God and others.

True riches flow from the heart to others. True riches fill the soul. True riches inspire the mind to think and act in ways that honor God. Silver and gold take a back seat to spiritual wealth, knowing Jesus and the reputation of a good name (22:1).

What do fear and humility have to do with a starting place for an attitude about money? Fearing God connects you to his grace; that, in turn, generates gratitude to God for all things. Humbling yourself before God and others creates a God-given desire to share, to minister to others and to live as a steward of money rather than a tight-fisted controller of money.

Fear and humility also produce a desire for responding to financial hardships by trusting God and for responding to financial successes by serving God. Proverbs says, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent” (28:20). God faithfully provides, expects faithfulness in grace and giving in response to him, and blesses the circle of that faithfulness.

The blessings are threefold: (1) between God and the individual giver; (2) between giver and the receiver; (3) and to the receiver's larger circle of relationships–the family, the church and the mission of reaching people that extends beyond the church. The blessing never remains in isolation. Fear and humility draw others into God's circle.

Honor God with your finances

A spiritual view of money begins with God, but does that mean the realities of financial pressure, paying bills, balancing the checkbook and helping others come easily? Realities increase pressure, but when you remember God, “stuff” is put in its proper place.

Scholar David Atkinson says Proverbs is about justice, personal integrity, economic integrity and healthy living that maximize the opportunity to handle life happily with God's care. A right attitude toward God is crucial. Proverbs says, “Honor the Lord with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase” (3:9).

Old Testament wisdom demands the first fruit, setting aside the first God has given. Malachi (3:10; Leviticus 27:30; Nehemiah 10:37) describes the first fruit as storehouse tithing, giving 10 percent of your income to the Lord through his church. The New Testament reinterprets the Old Testament and places tithing as the starting place for giving to the Lord (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). Jesus calls the servant of Christ not only to tithe but also to go beyond tithing by giving above and beyond based on the value of faith, people's needs and God's sacrificial love at work in your heart. God's love at work in the heart reaches out in sacrificial gifts for the purpose of honoring God, helping others because God helps us and for communicating his love.

Honoring God with finances means giving God priority with money. Biblical stewardship of money never circulates in isolation but always touches others. God's economy challenges the believer in Jesus to work hard, spend wisely, save wisely and share in abundance because of Christ's abundant life.

Integrity

Integrity in finances involves acting responsibly with the resources God gives. It is better to live a righteous life under God's care than to live in the lap of luxury because of deceit or scheming that aims to amass wealth without work. Wealth acquired without work has the potential to produce vanity and emptiness (13:11). Wealth accumulated through hard work increases an appreciation both of grace and possessions.

Every use of money has its consequences. Those who gain their money by false practices will end up with empty hands (20:17). Those who use money as a steward under God's care will reap the blessings of a relationship with God, the blessing of others and the blessing of God's abundant supply for daily needs. God blesses abundantly beyond all that we can ask or give (Ephesians 3:20).

Question for discussion

What is the hardest part of being wise with money?