MONEY and Spiritual Life

Money and the Spiritual Life

 

Our time. energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, and resources are all gifts from God that he has entrusted to our care and management. We are stewards of whatever God gives us. This concept of stewardship begins with the recognition that God is the owner of everything and everyone on earth. The Bible says, "The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his" (Psalms 24:1 TEV).

 

We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans it to us while we are here. It was God's property before you arrived, and God will loan it to someone else after you die. You just get to enjoy it for a while.

 

When God created Adam and Eve, he entrusted the care of his creation to them and appointed them trustees of his property. The Bible says, "God blessed them, and said, 'Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge'"(Genesis 1:28 TEV).

 

The first job God gave humans was to manage and take care of God's "stuff" on earth. This role has never been rescinded. It is a part of our purpose today. Everything we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands. The Bible says, "What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?" (1 Corinthians 4:7b, NLT)

 

Years ago, a couple let my wife and me use their beautiful, beach-front home in Hawaii for a vacation. It was an experience we could never have afforded, and we enjoyed it immensely. We were told. "Use it just like it's yours." so we did! We swam in the pool, ate the food in the refrigerator, used the bath towels and dishes, and even jumped on the beds in fun! But we knew all along that it wasn't really ours, so we took special care of everything. We enjoyed the benefits of using the home without owning it.

 

Our culture says, "If you don't own it, you won't take care of it." But Christians live by a higher standard: "Because God owns it, I must take the best care of it that I can." The Bible says, "Those who are trusted with something valuable must show they are worthy of that trust"(1 Corinthians 4:2, NCV). Jesus often referred to life as a trust and told many stories to illustrate our responsibility toward God. In the story of the talents, Matthew 25:14-29, a businessman entrusts his wealth to the care of his servants while he is away. When he returns, he evaluates each servant's responsibility and rewards them accordingly. The Owner says, "Well done, good and faithful servants! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness" (Matthew 25:21, NIV).

 

At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you. That means everything you do, even simple daily chores, has eternal implications. If you treat everything as a trust, God promises three rewards in eternity. First, you will be given God's affirmation: he will say, "Good job! Well done!" Next, you will receive a promotion and be given greater responsibility in eternity: "I will put you in charge of many things." Then you will be honored with a celebration: "Come and share your Master's happiness."

 

Most people fail to realize that Money is both a test and a trust from God. God uses finances to teach us to trust him, and for many people, money is the greatest test of all. God watches how we use money to test how trustworthy we are. The Bible says, "If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?" (Luke 16:11, NLT)

 

This is a very important truth, God says there is a direct relationship between now I use my money and the quality of my spiritual life! How I manage my money ("worldly wealth") determines how much God can trust me with spiritual blessings ("true riches"). Let me ask you: Is the way you manage your money preventing God from doing more in your life? Can you be trusted with spiritual riches?

 

Jesus said, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked" (Luke 12:48b, NIV). Life is a trust, and the more God gives you, the more responsible he expects you to be.

 

Rick Warren, Ministry Tool Box #215