Money: A Blessing or a Curse?
Introduction
Laurence was in charge of the finances of the church. He was also a deacon. There was a great revival taking place all around him. It was said that, ‘All of Rome were becoming Christians.’
As a result, persecution broke out under the Emperor Valerian in around the year AD 250. Christians who owned property distributed all the church’s money and treasures to the city’s poor.
Valerian ordered all bishops, priests and deacons to be arrested and executed. He offered Laurence a way out if he would show where all the church’s treasures were located.
Laurence asked for three days to gather it into one central place. He brought together the blind, poor, disabled, sick, elderly, widows and orphans. When Valerian arrived, Laurence flung open the doors and said, ‘These are the treasures of the church!’
Valerian was so angry that he decided beheading was not terrifying enough for Laurence. He ordered that this courageous man be roasted on a gridiron. That is how Laurence died on 10 August AD 258. Apparently, he even joked with his executioners, ‘You may turn me over. I’m done on this side.’ His courage made such an impression that the revival in Rome only increased, with many people becoming Christians including several senators who witnessed his execution.
St Laurence had a profound understanding of the message of Jesus. He understood that the poor are the true treasures of the church.
What should our attitude be to the poor? What about the rich? Is poverty a blessing or a curse? Are riches a blessing or a curse? Does the gospel promise prosperity?
Proverbs 19:14–22
14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will reward them for what they have done.
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
22 What a person desires is unfailing love;
better to be poor than a liar.
Commentary
Money is not everything
The book of Proverbs has a remarkably balanced understanding of wealth and poverty. Neither is seen as wholly good or wholly bad. They are understood as part of the wider fabric of life, and you are encouraged to use what you have wisely.
‘Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord’ (v.14). There is nothing wrong with houses or wealth; but there are more important things in life. Finding the right marriage partner is far more important than having lots of money.
For those tempted to work too hard in pursuit of money or any other goal, it is important to remember the sovereignty of God: ‘Many are the plans in a human heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails’ (v.21). Taking ‘Sabbath rest’ and holidays is a sign that you trust in God’s sovereignty.
Wealth is not the most important thing in life; nor is poverty the worst thing that can happen to you: ‘What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar’ (v.22). We need love far more than we need riches. Integrity of character is far more important than money.
On the other hand, this passage does not exalt poverty as a virtue. Sometimes poverty can be self-inflicted: ‘Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry’ (v.15).
Whatever the reason may be for a person’s poverty, be kind to the poor: ‘Those who are kind to the poor lend to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done’ (v.17).
This is an extraordinary and wonderful promise. God is no person’s debtor. Every time you do something kind for a poor person, you are lending to the Lord and he will repay with interest. Often, we see amazing blessings in the lives of those who spend their time ministering with the poor, the homeless and the prisoners.
Prayer
Lord, I entrust you with my finances and my future. Help me to live a life of generosity to all – especially the poor.
1 Corinthians 4:7–14
7 ... who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honoured, we are dishonoured! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.
Commentary
Poverty of the apostles
On the outside, people were rich, honoured and strong; but the church in Corinth was in a real mess. Paul points out that they were arrogant, proud and jealous. They tolerated sexual immorality, and they went to court against each other.
The apostle Paul starts to tackle some of these issues. He sees in their lives the arrogance of the rich. They are proud of their material wealth. Paul explains in a nutshell why no one has any cause for pride: ‘Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle’ (vv.7b–8, MSG).
They are rich like kings: ‘Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign – and that without us!’ (v.8a). There is a hint of sarcasm here. They are not really rulers at all, ‘How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we might come to rule with you!’ (v.8b).
He contrasts their material wealth with the poverty of himself and of the other apostles. ‘You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we’re mostly kicked around. Much of the time we don’t have enough to eat, we wear patched and threadbare clothes, we get doors slammed in our faces, and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living’ (vv.10–12, MSG).
Paul was one of the most influential Christians ever. His ministry was possibly the most ‘successful’ of all time. However, it did not lead to material prosperity. Quite the opposite. He was materially poor. He did not have enough food. He did not have nice clothes. He was homeless.
His poverty did not come about as a result of laziness: ‘We work hard with our own hands’ (v.12a). But, like many poor people today, he was subject to abuse. He did not respond in kind: ‘When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world’ (vv.12b–13).
Paul writes with great love – not to shame them but to warn them. He sees them as a father sees his own children: ‘I’m writing as a father to you, my children. I love you and want you to grow up well, not spoiled. There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong, but there aren’t many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up’ (vv.14–15, MSG).
Paul’s heart was like that of a good father. A father’s heart is gentle, kind, nurturing, training, persevering and never gives up on people. This should be the attitude of a pastor. All human parents are less than perfect. But you are loved and nurtured by your perfect heavenly father and can seek to be a parent to others based on his heavenly model.
Prayer
Lord, thank you that I have received far more through Jesus than anything this world can offer. May I be willing to be a fool ‘for Christ’ (v.10). Help me to imitate Paul’s example.
1 Chronicles 26:20–27
20 Their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.
24 Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the official in charge of the treasuries.
26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King David ... 27 Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the LORD.
Commentary
Riches of kings
When Paul wrote, ‘Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign’ (1 Corinthians 4:8), perhaps he had kings like King David in mind.
David was rich. He had great ‘treasuries’ (1 Chronicles 26:22), he had ‘royal storehouses’ (27:25), he had ‘vineyards’, ‘wine vats’ (v.27), ‘olive and sycamore-fig trees’ (v.28), ‘supplies of olive oil’ (v.28b), ‘herds’ (v.29), ‘camels’ and ‘donkeys’ (v.30b), ‘flocks’ and ‘property’ (v.31).
Finances are not ‘unspiritual’. For example, the worship of God usually takes place in buildings. Buildings cost money. Running the financial side of a church is an important role. The ‘Levites were put in charge of the financial affairs of The Temple... They supervised the finances of the sanctuary of God’ (26:20,22, MSG). Shubael was ‘the chief financial officer’ (v.24, MSG).
Material wealth was often seen in the Old Testament as a sign of God’s blessing. It is still true that godly character – hard work, reliability, integrity and honesty – are characteristics that often can lead to success and material prosperity. However, as we have seen in the New Testament passage for today, this is not the whole picture.
Over the years I have come across a number of very rich Christians. Some of them are among the godliest and most committed believers I have known. Their riches are not necessarily a sign of God’s blessing – but neither are they something bad. The key thing is how you see your money, and what you do with it.
Prayer
Lord, help us to get the balance right in our teaching and in our lifestyle. May we never be guilty of condemning or judging those whom you have blessed with material prosperity. May we be generous and give freely and be willing to go hungry and thirsty, in rags and homeless if necessary, in order to serve you.
Pippa adds
Proverbs 19:13b says,
‘A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.’
Before pointing out the mess any of my family may have made, I do think about this verse. I don’t want to be accused of being a dripping tap!
Thought for the Day
We need love far more than we need riches. Integrity of character is far more important than money.
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References
The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel (commentary formerly known as Bible in One Year) ©Alpha International 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Compilation of daily Bible readings © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 1988. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited as the Bible in One Year.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.