It appears that my article yesterday caused some consternation among a few of my readers, and that's okay. Accordingly, it is necessary to revisit the topic of money, which was but a small portion and clarify its proper role in our daily lives.
Money is our means of survival - what the secular humanist psychologists and psychiatrists refer to as a means of meeting our most profound needs, gleaned from Maslow's hierarchy of needs triangle.
Here at the bottom of the triangle are our essential needs for survival. Nobody would dispute these. However, notice that as the pyramid builds, more of self is interwoven. This is humanism, that is, the world or mankind's way of looking at the human being.
Money reimagined
I have a basic premise that everything the world tells us to do should be ignored and that I should do the complete opposite. For example, the worldly system tells us we can do anything (we cannot), that we need to acquire wealth and possessions (materialism), and that we control our destiny (we do not). These are concepts from secular humanism, which is a religion in and of itself.
The term money and its variants is used in excess of 800 times in the Bible. A critical thinking individual might want to pay attention and learn about the proper use and accumulation of money.
Nowadays, people are so focused on acquiring wealth and notoriety that greed and money have become two of their idols. Mind you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with money, but rather the love of money and quest for it is evil. Again, it is written: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV).
Jesus used money to pay taxes, though he did not have to. We read: "After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?
“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours” (Matthew 17:24-27, NIV).
The children of God are exempt! But we pay taxes anyway, because we are obedient to our governments.
Jesus wasn't rich
Think about that! A shocker, huh? Many false teachers proclaim the health and wealth gospel (prosperity gospel), which is not the gospel of Jesus, but rather a false, heretical doctrine. They teach that Jesus was rich. But look below at a meme from Matthew.
But Jesus is rich, as He owns everything on the earth, below in the seas, and in the heavens. And those who make it to heaven will inherit the Kingdom!
Jesus teaches us about money
Who better to learn from about money than Jesus? Maybe you learn from Elon Musk or Warren Buffet, perhaps Bill Gates or from Donald Trump's Art of the Deal.
Musk is the 2nd richest man in the world today. He has multiple lawsuits, several allegations of fraud leveled against him, and is barely keeping Tesla afloat now that the big three car manufacturers have made better electric cars. Money does not absolve you of life's problems, but likely will create more. Just look at lotto winners and learn what happens to most. You'd be amazed.
Jesus taught that we should utilize our financial resources to help the poor and needy through the kindness of our heart upon recognizing people in need. We read:
"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:41-44, NIV).
Listen
Perhaps the most notable verse about money and the one most often ignored is this: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Luke 16:13, NIV).
That's a wrap
Consider what God has said about money and examine your true motivation and use of it. Determine in your heart whether a change is required of you. After all, Jesus said: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV).
And finally, "Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions”(Luke 12:13-15, NIV).
Hopefully, this clarifies the Bible teaching about money.
Money is the source of evil (greedy people) but that depends on the people itself if she/he wanted to be consume by the greediness. We can't blame the money we need it to survive here in this world, it really depends in human how they do it.