Money is a Tool

While cleaning our house on my recent "vacation", I found an old document I wrote in 1997 on Christian financial principles. I'll be sharing parts of it here over the next several weeks. Here's how I started it out:

Money in itself is neutral -- neither good nor evil. It is simply a tool God has given us so we can help others, meet our needs, and serve Him (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 10:22).  What really matters is a person's attitude towards money and how that translates into his use of it  (1 Tim. 6:10; Hebrews 13:5; Proverbs 23:4-5).  Like all other things, money must be viewed with a proper attitude and handled according to biblical standards.

Yep, that's true. Money isn't good or evil in and of itself -- it's how we think about and use money that matters. Handling it with the proper attitude and according to biblical standards is what I attempt to discuss here every Sunday.

And for those of you who like to see the verses, here they are (all NIV versions):

Deuteronomy 8:18 -- But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

Proverbs 10:22 -- The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

1 Timothy 6:10 -- 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.

Hebrews 13:5 -- Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Proverbs 23:4-5 -- Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Comments

[prlinkbiz]

Money is neutral- absolutely right. I was raised Christian, have been surrounded by Christian friends and family, and actually have my degree in Theology! It was always my goal from day 1 to be in "full time ministry/service"- that's why I started learning about how to become financially free. The parable of the talents is my favorite and my motivation- although many friends and family couldn't see, and thought I was living for money. Now, they have seen me build and sell a business, build second one, and become financially free- all while they are still stuck working everyday for money- in my view a "non-Biblical" (if you want to go there) way of living. They are starting to see now the value of making money work for you, and not vice versa. Sorry for the rant- can you tell it's something I'm passionate about? lol

[InvestorGeek Chris]

I really appreciate this article. Although, I have no problem with having money as a Christian, I have been doing some thinking about where trying to become successful fits with living a successful life. I would like to think that both are possible. It may not be easy to be both personally and professionally successful, but I do believe that it can happen.

As far as having money as a person of faith, I believe that if you indeed are greatful for the opporunities you have been given, be humble knowing that at any time it could all be taken away, and being generous with either your time, your money or both (haven't quite figured that out yet), then I think you will be right with spirit of what God intended.

In the ministry, as in any other charitable endeavor, you need both labor and money to spread the Word.

[DR. ARTFREDO C. ABELLA, Ph.D. - WHITTTIER, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.]

What is money? With all the literal and varied interpretations of what is money all about, let me point my views about it.

A) Money is just a medium of exchange. You need money to transact business and exchange from the goods or services you want to buy or have.
B) Money is just a medium for barter. To facilitate the transaction of business or trade you use money. Bartering as a means of transacting business is slow, obsolete and burdensome.
C) Money is a certificate to pay the settlement of debt. Money is the universal symbol to pay debts, moral damages, even heal personal wounds and to erase wrongs committed by others.
D) Money is an employee. Yes, money to some is regarded as employees since it can work for you to create more money. When in reality sometimes money is better than an employee because it does not create labor unrest and does not provide personal problems.
E) Money is just like a manure. Money is just like a manure, you stuck it in one place it smells, you spread it, it prospers and turns to be just like a fertilizer to grow more plants.
F) Money is just like a friend. Money is just like your friend, spend it and it is like discarding your friend. Saving money is like keeping your friends. The more you save it, the more friends you will have.
G) Money is an instrument to spend it and acquire goods or services. In its basic sense, the only purpose of money is to spend it and to acquire the service you want to have in your life.
H) Money is the oil that makes life run smoothly. With all the wrong notions of money, money can make our life run smoothly. It can pay our bills, food, vacations, education and luxuries in life.
I) Money is just for enjoyment. Money according to some pragmatist was only invented with the sole purpose to enjoy it, nothing more nothing less.
J) Money is a storage of wealth. Money could be saved for greater benefits it will provide in the future. It is a mode of delaying instant gratification for future long lasting and prosperous future gratifications.
K) Money is just like a hall mark card. Money that we part is merely just like a card with beautiful writings and dedications in it with the exchange of something else - stuffs, services rendered and luxurious goods for the rich to acquire.
L) Money is just an energy. Yes, money is just an energy that is why it is called the currency and since everything in this earth and the entire universe and galaxy is made up of ever changing wave of energy. Concentrate upon it and it surfaces, neglect it, it turns into waves of energy again.
M) Money is just a dirty peace of paper with the pictures of long dead persons. For the common tao, money is just a piece of paper with some pictures and inscriptions upon it which is in itself in essence also correct.
N) Money is just like your leg or arm, use it or lose it.
Money is just like your legs or arms if you do not use it then it becomes useless.
O) Money is like the earings and jewels that rich men give to their wives. Money is precious, they are like the diamond earings that the rich give to their wives that is why it is very costly.
P) Money is neutral. Money is neither good nor bad, it stays neutral. It can be good when it serves as utility and useful purpose and bad when use for evil designs.
Q) Money is wealth when used for utility purposes. When money is used for public service and for the betterment of the nation it becomes wealth.
R) Money is God in action. Money use for tithing and returning it back to God is the recognition that everything belongs to Him. We are merely the stewards of God's money and His creations.
S) Money is the extension of your own self. Money is the reflection of who you are. If you are charitable when you have only few of it then that will be your nature when you have plenty of it. If you can manage money with very few of it then your can be entrusted with plenty or perhaps millions of it.
T) Money is power. He who has the money is powerful. Money answers everything. Money speaks. He who has the gold rules. Money makes the world go round.
U) Money is not real, it is the representation of something else. Money in itself is just a plain piece of paper. It is the people who place meaning into it that makes it valuable.
V) Money is receipt and receipt is money. You must print receipt to acknowledge the receipt of money and goods or services you have delivered. Ancient times acknowledges the deposit of gold and silver by issuing receipt which can be loaned for more gold which is the symbol of business transaction.
W) Money is commodity. If you have commodity you can sell it in the market for money. If you have money you can buy commodity or services.
X) Money is just a servant. The more money you have, the more it can serve you, other people, the community and the world that we live in.
Y) Money is a tyrant master. Money can be a tyrant master if you are indebted with so many debts and obligations. You become the slave of money if you borrow money you cannot afford to pay because you will be burdened with financial obligations to pay together with the surcharges.
Z) Money is a tool. Money is just a tool to acquire goods and services. It is neutral, not good not bad. It is just a tool for you to acquire economic goods without which life's activities can a drudgery.

" MONEY SWORE AN OATH THAT NO ONE WHO DID NOT LOVE MONEY SHOULD HAVE HER."
OLD IRISH PROVERB