243 Counterfeit Gods: Money Talks

You’ve probably heard the saying “Money talks.” What would money say to you if it wanted to be your idol? And what might God say in contrast?

1.     Money says: “Look at how much more others have than you.”  This counterfeit god uses envy to enslave us, driving us to want more. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

God says: “Be content with and grateful for what you have.” The antidote to envy is gratitude.

2.     Money says: “You don’t have a greed problem.” Money insists, “You don’t have enough money to be called greedy. Only rich people are greedy.” Yet Jesus warned an audience of mostly poor people, “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed.”  

God says: “Recognize that the tendency toward greed is a constant challenge.” The antidote to greed is generosity.

3.     Money says: “Worry about me!”  We have the illusion that we won’t worry about money if we have more money. But the fact is, the more money we have, the more we think about it and worry about it. 

God says: “Trust me as your provision and source.” There is a linkage between seeking God’s Kingdom and knowing God’s provision.

4.     Money says: “Giving may be a good idea, but you can’t afford it.” One of the biggest lies money tells is that if you had more money, you’d be more generous. But statistics show that people with lower incomes give a higher percentage of their money than people with higher incomes. 

God says: “Give, not because you can afford to, but because you can’t afford not to.”  If you don’t start understanding the role of generosity when you don’t have much, you will not grow into it when you do have much.

5.     Money says: “If you just keep getting more, eventually you’ll have enough.” But it’s like a treadmill of acquisition; we never get there. We never reach “enough.”

God says: “The antidote for consumerism is compassion.” Only when you choose to spend on behalf of others instead of on yourself will your heart begin to change.

Text: Luke 16:13; 12:15-34; 19:1-8  

Originally recorded on December 12, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN