Probing Proverbs: 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you
produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow
with good wine.
I remember having a dinner with one of my disciples on
a Sunday night. We were catching up concerning a relative we had been praying for
concerning their relationship with God. Unexpectedly, his relative had decided
to attend church after several decades of not doing so. As we sat my disciple
seemed dismayed. I had preached a message on God’s desire to be God in all of
our life, not just some parts. He went to lunch with this relative, who spent
the entire time complaining about how all I preached on was money. The reality
was, that word was used only once by me, at the very end of the message as I
closed my message. I stated, “God wants You!” Your time, talents and money have
all been entrusted to you by Him.” He is focused on You, not those things.”
I told my disciple not to be downhearted, this is very common.
Even with believers, we can discuss almost anything, but if we sneeze the word “money,”
their defenses go up immediately. In some ways I understand why this is; man
has used religion to bilk millions from people for centuries. How sad that the “Truth” and
“God” get
blamed, instead of the greedy little heart so many humans have…religious
ones, famous ones and atheistic ones!
It is interesting though, that something as simple as little
pieces of paper can help us really discover in what condition and where our
hearts are in reality. Money can be the greatest tool that God uses to grow our
faith. The Scripture can talk to us about almost any topic and we will remain
open, but often, the minute money is brought up we become defensive or dismiss
the passage because "God is not interested in money". That is true – God
is not interested in money - BUT He knows that we are and He knows it competes for
our heart. So if we are honest we will ask ourselves the question "If
Christ is the Lord of my life, have I included my wallet?” If
we honor God with our talents and time, why not with our money? What God
considers honoring for you is between you and Him, the key is to ask Him. 
One
major struggle we will be forced to deal with, is the lie that we need money to
live. Yes, that is the normal way God supplies, but if we consider the examples
throughout the Scripture where God supplied a different way, because
individuals were depending on Him, we will realize we don’t
NEED money, we NEED God! If we depend on God, He will feed us even without
money. If we depend on money…money will enslave you!
