Money is a wild horse. When you jump on its back, it can take you places you may not want to go or throw you around like a rag doll. That’s if you give it primacy in your life and allow it to master you. The Bible tells us we cannot serve two masters, God and money.1 So how do we tame the horse?
As a Christ-following leader in business, money is a part of our everyday life. We have to make it, save it, grow it, and spend it. People around us want it, and perhaps it seems we don’t have enough of it. We go to school and work hard to achieve financial freedom. Money is a companion in life.
I grew up with little money, but I never knew it. My parents never made us feel we lacked. I had the most amazing childhood, even though I grew up in a civil war. My family gave me love, encouragement, and principles that have guided my life.
Fast forward to today. After years of hard work, the Lord has willed that I make a comfortable living at this point in my life. Maybe in the future He wills that I don’t have money. We shall see. I am good either way. My life and my family are in His hands. So then, how should a Christ-follower view money?
Money is a tool. A tool to take care of our needs, our family’s needs, and to care for others as we further the kingdom of God. And if the Lord wills it, it can also serve as a tool for a little enjoyment.
Ultimately, money must not be loved more than God. Jesus said, the love of money (and not money itself) is the problem2. In fact, the love of anything else above God is a problem. Jesus said if we love a mother, father, son, or daughter3 more than Him, then we do not deserve Him. Is it possible to love our child more than God?
A few years ago, when our first child Danny was born, I was quite attached to him. My godly mother sat me down one day. (My mom is not the kind to give advice all the time, but when she does, I knew I had better listen.) She said, “I think you are too close to your son.” I listened intently to her words. Part of her reasoning was related to this very verse. The Bible establishes a limit to loving a child more than God, and she thought maybe I was crossing that line.
My point is this: Anything can be placed above God in our life, and the Bible warns us against this. Money does not have to be a god, and we must not let it.
So then, how do we view money? It is another aspect of life that must be managed. If our ultimate goal is to honor God in our lives, then we must subject money, as we do everything else, to His will. This life principle is not a flip of a switch. Rather, it requires a maturing process. Like anything that grows and develops, it takes time and intention to master.
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