When it comes to money and finances, many Christians fall into one of three camps: 1) Those who believe in the prosperity doctrine and think that God wants us all to be materially wealthy. 2) Those who believe that we should live modestly, maybe in lack, and feel guilty if we receive material blessings. 3) Those who believe that giving doesn’t matter much in the eyes of the Lord and that tithes, offerings and the like no longer apply.
All three mentalities are wrong.
Truth is, the Lord wants us all to be in right relationship with money (1 Tim 6:17-19). While there are basic principles laid out in His word that advise how we should handle resources, every person will be called to manage theirs differently. God wants us to be good stewards of what we have (all material things, not just money), because everything comes from Him (James 1:17). We don’t own anything, friends. When we allow this truth to penetrate our minds, it will change the way we think about money. Proverbs has a wealth of information on the subject.
One thing is certain, we are all called to give. If you’ve been following my blog over the last year or so, this should be redundant. If you’re new to this page, feel free to peruse past articles where you’ll find many on the value of giving. Giving can take many forms, not just dollar signs. Tithing (giving ten percent of income to the church) acknowledges the importance of sewing a portion of what the Lord has given us back into the kingdom. Tip: if things are tight and you’re not tithing, ask the Lord to help you let some of it go (if you don’t belong to a church, ask Him to show you who or what organization to bless). Paradoxically, when we give (with the right attitude) when things are tight, we are usually blessed even more.
Because our walks with Jesus are personal (your walk will not be the same as your friend’s), our relationships with money are the same. The Lord calls my husband and I to give away more than the minimum Biblical requirements. The Lord also allows us to enjoy material blessings. He has an amazing way of gifting me with something nice (usually, through my husband) when I least expect it (or when I request something in particular through prayer), but He also convicts me if I buy something “extra” without His blessing. I love fashion, but when it’s not kept under His control, it can cross into excess. If I buy something (pricey) without taking it to Him first (even if my husband is okay with it), it loses its luster quickly. I end up not enjoying it. Then, the Lord usually has me gift the item to someone else rather than return it for a refund. Happened just last week, and the Holy Spirit told me to bless one of my close friends. She loved the surprise and will enjoy it.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the Lord wants us to be materially prosperous on some level, but that will look different for everyone. Owning a fleet of jets probably isn’t what He has in mind. I like aspects of the prosperity doctrine teaching, but I do not believe that money should be central to our walk with Jesus. Some of us may be called to give most of our money back to the kingdom, and that’s okay so long as we are hearing correctly from the Holy Spirit and not being evicted from our homes in the process. Minimalist Christians like to reference Matthew 19, where Jesus calls the wealthy ruler to give up everything and follow Him, but this was not a call to all Christians. It was Jesus calling the man out (highlighting his questionable intent)—confronting a love of money (the root of evil) over a desire to help his poor neighbors (serve the Lord). Jesus gave him a specific charge to give up all of his resources if he wanted to follow Him.
If you think the Lord doesn’t care all that much about giving because He’s the provider of everything and doesn’t need your money, you’re half right. He is Jehovah Jirah and doesn’t need anything. However, “giving” is mentioned over two thousand times in the Bible. He can’t get any more clear than in Proverbs 11:25, Luke 6:38, and Malachi 3:10. He cares about how you manage His money. Just because tithes and offerings served different purposes (and took on different forms) during biblical times, doesn’t mean that the principles don’t apply today.
This is why it is wise to surrender your finances to the Lord and ask Him to help you be a good steward. Doing so will be the best investment you ever make. Remember, when you give to someone in need, you do unto Him.
“Father God, thank you for helping us be in right relationship with money and providing for all of our needs. Show us how to properly steward what is yours. We lay our finances on your altar. We love you and we want to bless others.
