ICS Daily Devotions
Money Is Not the Problem
1 Samuel 17:25-26 (NKJV) So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely, he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?”
When we desire to live according to God’s plan, an area that we can be challenged in is personal finances. According to the Bible, it is always God’s intention that His children are well-provided for. Was David wrong in enquiring what would be the material gain or reward for killing Goliath?
Physiological need is the most basic human need, and David was no exception. His family needed money to survive, just as we need money to provide for our families. Regardless of whether we are an employee or an employer in the marketplace, there is nothing wrong with seeking financial gain, making a profit and doing well, as long as your heart is in the right place. David was a man after God’s own heart. He honoured the Lord’s teaching and believed in the God he served. Money was never David’s weakness in life. It was fitting that a hero should be awarded a sizeable financial reward, given the honor of marrying the king’s daughter, and his father’s family exempted from taxes.
Many churches struggle to strike a balanced view regarding wealth and possessions. There is a common misconception that material goods and wealth are evil or equate to ungodliness, and many Christians inwardly think that those who are wealthy and successful are worldly and ungodly. However, money in and of itself is neutral, We are called to be good stewards of God’s resources and money can contribute towards advancing the Kingdom of God if channelled into the right causes.
1 Timothy 6:10 (NKJV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The Bible says clearly that the love of money and covetousness, and not money itself, is a root of all kinds of evil. We need to come to a point in our lives where we acknowledge that all that we have in the area of our finances belongs to God, and be willing to give through freewill offerings whenever God asks or instructs us to do so. By providing the resources needed to build the temple of God, David was faithful in building a place which would be costlier and grander than his own palace to house the presence of God. There is nothing wrong with having material gain, as long as our heart is in the right place.
Sermon Series: Trailblazer (Part 2)
