Money and other possessions can be a great blessing and of great use in serving King Jesus. Our money can be used to support missions, to care for the needs of the poor and afflicted, and to provide for our families. Yet Jesus says that Money makes it hard for people to enter the Kingdom of God. How do we navigate this danger in the wealthy west? How do we use our wealth (unless you're homeless all Americans are wealthy) for the Kingdom without succumbing to the danger.
I fear that money has several dangers that we must fight to overcome. Money binds our hearts to this world - we begin to love our money and come to the point where we hate to leave it behind. Money divides our loyalties - we get sucked into preserving and making more money and we lose the hunger to follow and serve Christ. Money misplaces our trust and safety - money can make us feel safe and secure, "I have enough money to care for us so now I can relax" whereas our only real security is the fact that we are in Christ. Money can make us forget that we must live for the treasure in heaven - we are foolish to live for treasure that moth with rot and rust destroy when God has laid up for us treasure that nothing can take away. The little pleasures of money can make us forget that there are infinite pleasures and joys to be tasted now but feasted on when feasting with Jesus in His Kingdom.
How do we fight this danger. First we must remember that we are stewards, all we have belongs to God we are called to manage it according to His purposes and will. Second we are to pursue the true treasure Jesus Christ. If we are pursuing fellowship with Him, and if we are meditating on His truth then I think that we will slowly but surely be set free from this dangerous money.
Hold it loosely brothers and sisters or simply let it go in service to God.
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I just recently read of Rick Warren's decision regarding his new wealth. It seems his books have made him "wealthy." He paid his church back for all the years they paid him in pastoral ministry. He takes no salary from the church. He and his wife decided not to change their lifestyle, so he has made no purchases out of the ordinary since becoming wealthy. He is investing most of the money into church planting missions through Saddleback. I've never been a big fan of his books, but that is a refreshing testimony and example when we see the opposite so often.
I'd just like to add that it is not possessing wealth that is the only danger with money. The Bible has as much to say about envy as greed.
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