What did Jesus say about money? His teachings about money have been inspiring to believers for centuries. In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus shares his views on money. Basically, Jesus gives advice on how to properly manage money, emphasizing the importance of spiritual priorities over material wealth.
In today’s uncertain economic times with unemployment and inflation at a frightening high, it’s a given that many people are worried about money and financial problems. And, this leads to worries about job security. So, What did Jesus really say about money?
This lesson for study taken from the gospel of Matthew is not a cure-all, but I hope it will help you put your financial situation in perspective. What Jesus teaches about money will show that financial success, although necessary is not everything.
What Did Jesus Say about Money and Financial Security?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and wealth.” – Matthew 6:19-24 NASB
Will God Solve All Your Money Problems?
Will God solve our financial problems? I can’t say that He will. But, through the verses above, He does put our financial situation into proper perspective. God may not solve our financial problems directly, but He can give us the strength and the determination to overcome our challenges with financial stability. For instance, Proverbs 6:6-8 encourages us to be wise and diligent with our money. This creates a great starting point to gaining financial security.
A quick financial quote, author unknown —
“We spend our health making a fortune and then spend a fortune trying to get our health back.”
So, be encouraged in your financial struggles and let God work out the details.
My Financial Life
This is always a tough subject for me. I guess since I grew up with meager means, I sometimes put too much value on net worth. On the other hand, there are also people who believe that net worth is not as important as other factors such as happiness and life satisfaction. This is because people often equate having more money with more freedom and choices in life.
Life satisfaction is not necessarily tied to net worth. Instead, it is more dependent on other factors such as relationships, health, and our relationship with Christ. With that said, we still ignore God to accumulate more money and “stuff”.
Your Financial Life
Are you sometimes caught up in this world’s view of success – or fear of losing it? For instance, do you find yourself worrying that you are not as successful as your peers? Or, do you feel you are not achieving your goals fast enough?
Are you struggling to balance your own goals and ambitions with the expectations of others? Do you feel like you are constantly trying to measure up to the standards of society? This is not uncommon. We can easily fall into this trap if we are not careful.
Is Having Money a Bad Thing?
There is one thing I would like to say in passing: I am not condemning anyone who has accumulated honest wealth by working and striving towards a goal to attain it. Not at all. In fact, I want to celebrate those who have done so, and encourage others to do the same.
If you make a comfortable living and support yourself and your family, kudos to you. I hope you enjoy your success! All in all, I think it is important to understand that success is a personal journey and that it takes hard work and determination to achieve it.
And, we must consider what success means to us. Embrace this process to achieve goals in life.
The Big Goal
The above is important. But our relationship with God should be our main focus as we strive for success. We should stay grounded in our faith and rely on God for guidance, even in times of material prosperity. Yes, it is important to make a comfortable living and support ourselves and our families. But, it is even more important to look to God to provide us with the strength and courage to stay on the path to spiritual success.
God Seemed to Enjoy Working
God was a working being also (remember the story of creation in Genesis?) – “And He saw that it was good.”
So, it doesn’t make sense for us to feel miserable every time we work hard and have extra spending money. Jesus gave us a perspective to live by.
Jesus’ Perspective on Money
Christ is talking about the way we sometimes let money matters get in the way of what is really meaningful — working for God and serving Him. In Matthew 19:16-26 He uses the parable of the rich young man to demonstrate this point. The young man was so focused on his material possessions and money that he could not follow Christ’s teachings.
This shows us that when we become too attached to worldly things, we can miss out on spiritual opportunities. Ultimately, Christ’s parables remind us of the importance of putting God first in our lives and getting our focus back on Him.
Spiritual Vision
Do you have spiritual vision? Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants us to do and see the world from His point of view. But this spiritual insight can easily be clouded. Self-serving desires, interests, and goals sometimes block that vision. For example, we might be tempted to make decisions based on what we think is best for us, rather than what God wants us to do.
The best way to restore the vision is to serve God. A ‘good’ eye is one that fixes on God. The bottom line is that the more we serve God, the better our spiritual vision will be.
Who is the Master?
Jesus says in verse 24 that we can have only one master. We live in a materialistic society where many people serve money. They spend all their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind to heirs who don’t always deserve it. Their desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters.
We must realize that we can only serve one master, and that master is God and His word.
Thinking about Money
Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. Don’t fall into the materialistic trap, because ‘the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil‘ (1 Timothy 6:10).
And remember, it doesn’t say money – rather the love of it. It’s like planting a field: what you sow is what you reap. If you sow seeds of materialism and greed, you’ll reap a harvest of discontentment and unhappiness. But if you sow seeds of generosity and kindness, you’ll reap a harvest of joy and peace.
In short, if you want to live a happy and content life, you have to cultivate a heart of generosity and kindness.
Which Master Will We Serve?
Can you honestly say that God, and not money, is your master? One test is to ask which one occupies more of our thoughts, time, and efforts. Another yardstick is in our giving. If God truly is our master, money should be an afterthought, not a primary focus.
I just asked myself that question and was disappointed in the answer. I’m guilty. After all, it’s our relationship with God that should define our lives, not our wealth.
How about you? Let’s you and I put our priorities in order. Let’s think about God today on our break from earning a living. As a result, our relationship with God will be enriched and our lives will be more meaningful, not less.
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Christ, please take a moment and look at John 3:16 to find out more.