Mo Money, Mo Problems
I’ve heard it said that Jesus taught about money more than anything else. I’ve done a little digging and I’m not sure I agree with that statement.
It’s true, Jesus talked about money in 11 of his 39 parables. But I think that often, money was a common resource that helped people understand a deeper spiritual principle about what Jesus was really focused on: the kingdom of God. With that said, Jesus makes some pretty clear statements about money.
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For example, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24). Jesus’ primary concern was teaching us that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and that Jesus is making the way for us to enter in. He recognized that building up earthly treasure could very easily become a distraction from pursuing the kingdom of God.
Compare the two interactions Jesus had with the rich young man and with Zacchaeus. The first was unwilling to leave behind his possessions, and Jesus mentioned how difficult it was for the rich to enter the kingdom. But Zacchaeus gave away have his possessions to the poor and paid back beyond what he owed to everyone and Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9).
John Wesley preached a radical sermon called “The Use of Money.” In it, he laid out three principles for using wealth to build up the kingdom of God. Gain all you can, Save all you can, Give all you can. But it’s not that simple. Each principle goes deep into the heart of holiness and discipleship.
When John tells us to gain all we can, he then lays out the ethics for a healthy and responsible work life that respects the dignity of all people and creation. This is not a "gain all you can at all costs," no. The ends do not justify the means. We must earn our money in ways that build up the kingdom of God in ourselves, in others, and in the world.
The purpose behind saving all you can is to live a life of simplicity. Most of us are tempted to keep up with the Joneses, to live beyond our means, assuming that as our income raises, so should our lifestyle. Instead, John commends us to save what we have gained and not spend it away on luxuries.
By gaining all we can and then saving all we can, we must then give all we can. John leans into the biblical understanding of stewardship, that the wealth we have gained is not truly ours, but belongs to the Lord. And therefore we must use the gifts God has given us to care for the poor. For Wesley, it wasn’t about giving a 10% tithe to the church. It was about giving all you can, going above and beyond if you are able, to build up the kingdom of God.
I find this challenging. Not because I’m a stingy person, but John Wesley calls me to a diligence in how I attend to my finances that I’m just not used to. He challenges us to think about every purchase and whether it brings glory to God. I simply confess that I have not been that aware of my spending habits. Yet, I am moved by the challenge of it, and I certainly agree to the principles as Wesley lays them out.
I think my point is that it’s no excuse for me to say I’m just not that focused on money or how I spend it. I am privileged that I don’t live from paycheck to paycheck. I am privileged that I am able to supply my emergency fund, my savings, and my retirement plan. And I admit that this privilege has made me lazy about giving all I can.
Most churches are in the middle of a stewardship campaign right now, or will be starting one soon. The truth is, churches need income to survive. Giving to your church makes real ministry happen, and it’s important to contribute to your church community. I am thankful for the annual reminder that what I do with my wealth matters. I am thankful for opportunities to contribute to the work of the kingdom of God in this world. And I accept the challenge to think more intentionally about what I’m doing with my income.