You want to be careful with your finances, but you don't want it to consume too much of your time, effort and attention. Sounds like a terribly difficult balancing act, doesn't it? How do we find the right mix of financial stewardship principles and efforts without falling for the love of money?
Hebrews 13:5 tells us, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" This scripture sounds simple enough, but the challenge of steering clear of the love of money while still remaining financially responsible is one that many people fail in so many times. I admit that I've failed in this area once or twice... or a hundred times maybe. I lost count.
We want to be careful with our money and make sure that we're not spending more than we ought to, but then all of a sudden we notice that our bank accounts are all we think about. Now we refuse to get married, be generous, tithe or even spend out of the fear of not having enough. The trick lies in clearly defining the demarcation line between loving money and being a good steward and making sure we don't cross that line. This can be a challenge given that that demarcation line can be a fine one.
The difference lies deepest in the heart. Why do you want to be a good steward of your money? Others will say that their reason has something to do with security or the fear of not making the cut. As important as security is, money is not a reliable source of it. Only Jesus is and will ever be our sure foundation and provider.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" But the secret to growing in stewardship without having the love of money or dependence on it eat away at your heart lies in having the right heart. How can we make sure our hearts are not deceived by the false promises of money?
In Psalm 51:10, the psalmist David says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Reality is that we cannot purify our own hearts. Only the Holy Spirit through the work of Christ can do that for us, thus to guard our hearts from the love of money is not something we can do on our own. On our own, we can and will be lead astray. On our own, chances are we will fail to be good stewards of money.
But when God becomes the motivation and source, money will not take a hold of our hearts. Where is your heart today? Is it on money or on God?
