Money Attitudes

Money is a common topic in Scripture.  Generally guidelines are not too complex.  Do not fall in love with money, be honest with money, and don’t look to money for security. 

Simple, eh?

Most every aspect of living is simple in theory, but harder in practice. We Americans illustrate this over and over.  We fall in love with money.  As that great mentor Montgomery Burns (The Simpsons) said it, “ I’d give up all my wealth for…just a little more.”  It is hard NOT to love money, despite that this love “…is the root of all sorts of wicked things.”  There are few in this capitalistic economy who aren’t seeking to be a little richer.

I confess, this is a temptation for me too. I can justify most things as simply “good stewardship”, and true enough, good stewardship of these manifold blessings in vital, but this is only a legitimate justification when it reflects true motives.  Many of us are simply and shamefully greedy.

Most of us are not very conservative with the money G^d has given us.  We spend freely and often poorly.  We justify a newer auto, a bigger house, a nicer vacation, whether we are truly in need or not.

It strikes me that the one excuse never called into question for missing anything is, “I had to work”. 

Really?  Seriously?   That explains everything?

As my friend, Rex S, used to say, money is like oxygen, you need a little to live.  What Rex didn’t realize was that money, like oxygen, is poisonous in very high concentrations!

Keep that in mind.