Not About The Money

It's not about the money, money, money
We don't need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag
Ain't about the Cha-Ching Cha-Ching
Ain't about the Ba-Bling Ba-Bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag.
(chorus to 'Price Tag' by Jessie J; written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and B.o.B)

1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
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.

Everyone has a different opinion about money and how to handle it - particularly with the current state of the world economy. There are stacks of places where you can get advice on the subject - including, of course, biblical teaching. I am informed that money is mentioned 140 times in the Bible, with gold specifically mentioned 417 times and silver 320 times (King James Version).

And it's interesting to note how often Jesus talked about money - there's ten separate references recorded in the gospel of Luke alone. Consider the challenging words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 6:24 (NIV), where He says, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

I've been thinking and praying about this a good deal lately, following a few discussions in the Corps and some diligent reviewing of my family's finances.

My personal view on the subject? Money is an essential in my life - but only insofar as it enables me to help others. It's there to facilitate what I can do for my family, for my church, for others. It's what I need to keep the car running, to keep the children fed; to allow me to go to the places that I need to be.

I fight against frustration on those occasions when the money simply isn't there. I do what I can with the budget that I have. I often think about how much more effective I could be if I had more resources - but that's not the way it is. God teaches me to be content with what I have; how to budget; how to prioritise.

While planning this post, I spent an hour or two looking round the shops this week - window shopping, I simply didn't have the cash to buy anything that day. I saw the shoppers weighed down by the bargains in their bags, trying to live well beyond their means, seeking contentment in the latest gadget or fashion accessory. It made me a little sad

Because, you see, it's not about the money... not about the money at all.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV)
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.