Sunday Recap 3/12: What does God want us to do with our money?
On Sunday, 3/12, Evident Grace looked at this Big Picture Question:
Big Picture Question: What would God have you do with your money?
To answer it, we looked at these scriptures:
Micah 6.9 The voice of the Lord cries to the city—and it is sound wisdom to fear your name: “Hear of the rod and of him who appointed it! 10 Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? 11 Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? 12 Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. 13 Therefore I strike you with a grievous blow, making you desolate because of your sins. 14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger within you; you shall put away, but not preserve, and what you preserve I will give to the sword. 15 You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine. 16 For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels, that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of my people.”
We found these 3 answers:
Big Picture Question: What would God have you do with your money?
- Be Just, Kind, and Humble
- Be Accountable
- Make God your Highest Counsel
Be Just, Kind, and Humble
Micah 6.9 The voice of the Lord cries to the city—and it is sound wisdom to fear your name: “Hear of the rod and of him who appointed it! 10 Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? 11 Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? 12 Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
God had commanded His people to be just, kind, and humble, and one clear place they missed that was with their finances. Instead of being just, their scales were unfair. Instead of being kind, they were unmerciful. Instead of humility, they were proud. God judged them and called their actions violent.
In our finances, we must seek every place to be just and standing up for those in need. We must seek to be kind to those who need help. And we must never take pride in our finances, but instead, we must be humble.
Be Accountable
13 Therefore I strike you with a grievous blow, making you desolate because of your sins. 14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger within you; you shall put away, but not preserve, and what you preserve I will give to the sword. 15 You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.
God held His people accountable for the handling of their finances. They tried to save, but God took it by the sword. They pressed olives and grapes but got no oil or wine.
Friends, God holds us accountable for how we manage our finances. The injunction is to be just, kind, and humble. Whatever skills you have, use them for those purposes. Whatever money you make, use them for those purposes. But never think God does not hold us accountable.
But Make God your Highest Counsel
16 For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels, that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of my people.”
There are tremendous resources in this world for our finances. Turbo Tax helps us file out taxes. Books teach us about retirement and finance law. And while they are helpful, we must always make the principles of scripture our first and highest authority when it comes to our money.
Big Picture Question: What would God have you do with your money?
Truth: The scriptures teach us that God holds you accountable to be just, kind, and humble with your finances.
Application: Live knowing God gives us active counsel to live out justice, kindness, and humility with our finances.
Action: Attempt to display Jesus to the church and the world through your finances as much as you do your personal obedience.