“Money, money, money – must be funny in a rich man’s world.”
So go the words to an old Abba song. However, is there really anything funny about the role that money plays in the lives of people today? Stocks, IPO’s, bonds, mutual funds and gold are the topics of discussion at every coffee stand, donut shop and hair salon. Do we spend an inordinate amount of time talking about, chasing and dreaming about getting rich? Has it become too high a priority?
Biblically speaking, there is nothing wrong with money. In fact the Bible states,
Deuteronomy 8:18
“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth…”
God promises abundance and prosperity. He has never wanted His people to be impoverished or forsaken.
People often quote the section in the Gospels where Jesus Christ told one young man to go and sell all his possessions and to give the money to the poor. This verse is used to say that a Christian should get rid of his possessions and live a poor, miserly life. The problem was not that the man had money; it was that he placed trust in his money. This misplaced trust was an obstacle for the young man. Jesus simply confronted him on it.
Are we seeing the same misplaced trust today? Even though history has consistently shown the fallibility of man’s financial vehicles and institutions, do we still rely too heavily on them? Banks have been known to fold, companies become insolvent, and corporations gone under. It would seem foolish then to tie ones future entirely to the fluctuation of gold prices and the like, wouldn’t it?
Thankfully, there is a better and more reliable option. The Scriptures declare that we are not to “trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” (I Timothy 6:17) Since it is God that gives a man or woman the power to get wealth, why not commit that area of life to Him? Stock market crashes do not seem to disturb the Creator of the heavens and the earth. To quote an old poem, “God’s bank ain’t busted yet!” Even when the blue chips of the day go stale, God and His Word remain.
Why not invest then in a concern that has promise of return in this life and in that which is to come? Why not whole-heartedly trust in a God who is willing to supply our every need? A God who says He can do even above and beyond what we could ask or think? “In Gold We Trust”? Let’s get the ‘L’ out of there and trust in God.