"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
Growing up, money wasn't easy. My family wasn't poor, but we weren't rich either. From an early age, I was the queen of extreme couponing, saving every penny, storing gift cards for emergencies, and working hard. By the time I got to college, I had three jobs at one time because I wanted to contribute to society. I wanted to ensure I could help my parents, and I deeply ingrained within myself the belief that if I didn't work I was worthless.
1 Timothy 5:18 tells us, "The worker deserves his wages" (NIV). We know that Jesus calls us to work hard and that from the beginning, work was part of our design. Even before the fall, Adam tended to the Garden and had a role to play. It's good for workers to have goals and a purpose that motivates them (Proverbs 16:26). Finding meaning and purpose in our work often drives us to work and serve harder.
So what happens if we refuse to work?
Proverbs directly call out those who are stubborn, lazy, and refuse to work:
"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper" (Proverbs 13:4, NLT).
"A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things" (Proverbs 18:9, NLT).
"Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace" (Proverbs 10:4-5, NLT).
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good" (2 Thessalonians 3:10-13, NIV).
Let me be clear: Not being able to work and refusing to work are two different things. God doesn't condemn those who are unable to work due to sickness, disease, chronic health issues, or mental and physical health struggles. He does condemn those who refuse to work because they believe work doesn't matter, or they believe they are exempt because of selfish reasons.
When work causes us to serve money over Christ, however, we've missed the bullseye. Because the poorest person is not the one without money but the one without God (C-Suite for Christ).
What about you? Do you struggle to trust God with money?
Honest confession: I struggle to trust God. Especially when it comes to finances and trading a stable and predictable career (teaching high school English), for an unpredictable calling (full-time authorship). This can be scary! But I've been exercising my faith muscles, and I'd encourage you to do the same.
Friends, we are called to work hard and be productive citizens of society. We're not called to believe the lie that if we're unable to work for legitimate reasons we would be worthless. That's not in our God-given identity or DNA. We're chosen, adored, and loved deeply by our Creator.
Meanwhile, we're called to trust God above our finances, for we cannot serve God and money. This is a lesson I'm still learning and probably will be for the rest of my life. Maybe you can relate? The good news is this: If God can provide for us physically, mentally, spiritually, relationally, and emotionally, why can't He provide for us financially? Yes, we're to work hard, but we're also called to trust Him with money.
Let's pray:
Dear God, many of us struggle to trust you with our finances. We know that working hard and making ends meet go hand-in-hand, but we also know that you can and will provide for our every need. Help us to establish a righteous balance between our relationship with you and our relationship with money. Help us to put you first and trust with full confidence that you'll help us with our finances. We will not bow down to dollar bills, coins, or credit cards. Because in the end, money isn't our master. You alone deserve the glory, honor, and praise. We thank you, sweet Lord, and we know you will provide for our every need. Help us trust you. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Sean Locke/iStock RNS
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Originally published Thursday, 22 August 2024.
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