Money Talks (Luke 12:1-34)
Money Talks, Saturday, March 26
Read Luke 12:1-34
Listen to what Jesus said about money:
“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”
“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.”
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
These words from today’s reading are as timely today as they were when Jesus first spoke them. For if we are honest, we know he is right.
So what do we do? Perhaps we fret about our love for money; maybe we eagerly spend it or save it, according to our inclination; or we put a bit extra in the offering box to assuage our guilt, or we support worthwhile cause; or, you get the idea.
No doubt, this is better than nothing. But let us not miss the bigger picture Jesus is painting. With regard to money, Jesus wants us to see that the way we approach our resources reveals the kind of world we think we live in. What kind of world is it?
Is it a world where Money is in charge, or is it a world where God is in charge? Do we live in a world where new creation has begun, or does money and power still rule the day? Is this a world world where God can be trusted even when things are bleak, or must we still hedge our bets, so to speak?
If we do not believe God is in charge (i.e., if the kingdom of God was not inaugurated when Jesus came to earth), then of course we will need to over-accumulate, over-spend, over-work and over-worry. Otherwise, disaster is certainly around the corner.
But if we do believe God is in charge, we will have a much better attitude toward money. The stakes are not so high as before. We know that our ultimate security, our ultimate destiny, our ultimate happiness is already taken care of. We no longer need money to help us hedge against these fundamental life questions. We are free to use it without being used by it.
How do we get to this point? I find two spiritual practices to be very helpful. First, make it a habit to give money away. Do it systematically. Do it sacrificially. Do it as an act of worship. Nothing breaks the grip of money in my heart better than the simple habit of giving it away. It is incredibly freeing. I highly recommend it.
Second, and equally important, soak your heart in the truth of the Gospel. When its beauty captures your imagination, you will know instinctively that your security, your destiny, and your happiness are found in Jesus, not in the false promises of this world’s goods. For you cannot see Jesus on the cross and still look at money the same as before.
Here is the sobering truth: the God who is in charge is the God on the cross. He gave his life for you that day. In doing so, he turned this world’s power structure upside down. His death brought new creation to the world. His death gave new life to you. Now: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8).
“Father, help me to ‘know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for [my] sake he became poor, so that [I] by his poverty might become rich’” (2 Corinthians 8:9).