Turns out, the Bible says a lot about money. Often Christians are surprised to hear that there are 2,300 verses on money, wealth and possessions. Eleven of Jesus’ 39 parables involved money and 15% of His preaching dealt with money. It was in fact His most talked about topic.
Third John 1:2 says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” My father-in-law, a pastor of 45 years, states that as Christians we are called to meet people’s needs on the level of their need. This is the true definition of prosperity; meeting people’s needs on the level of their need. If they need salvation, we should have the knowledge and boldness to lead them to salvation. If someone is sick, you have 1 Peter 2:24 down deep in your soul, and you can lay hands on the sick and proclaim, “by His stripes you are healed!”. Christians often feel their responsibility stops there. If a single mother in the church needs utilities paid, groceries, whatever the need – God wants you to have the financial abundance to meet the physical and financial need, in addition to the spiritual. God wants to bless your spirit and soul, as well as bless you financially, so you can be a blessing to others in all ways.
Once you embrace that God wants you to prosper in every area of your life to better serve His Kingdom, there must be intentionality to learn and understand how to manage finances and build wealth.
The parable in Mathew 25:14-30 about ten talents or bags of gold (NIV) is not about your gift to speak, sing or lead. It’s about money. God needs all his people prosperous to do the work of the Kingdom, so He has given everyone “a measure according to their abilities.” If you want more money, increase your value by increasing your abilities.
In the parable, the first two servants “immediately” invested and eventually doubled the money provided by the master. Don’t wait until……. Start today!
The third servant did not ask for council on investing or trading and did not try to learn about investments. He was scared the markets might go down, losing the little amount entrusted to him. Out of fear and ignorance, he buried it.
The master returned and said to the first two, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in the few things, so I will put you in charge of the many. COME SHARE YOUR MASTER’S HAPPINESS!” Wow, I want to share in the master’s happiness. That means not worrying about the price of gas, not checking the bank account balance before swiping a card, gladly picking up the tab for lunch with friends and being a blessing to those around you. “Come share in your master’s happiness!”
There are lessons to be learned from the man with one bag of gold. Fear drove him; he feared the master and feared losing the money. The master did not expect him to earn 5 more bags of gold because he only gave “to each according to their ability.” If you grew up in poverty where the principles around money were not taught or demonstrated, God does not expect you to suddenly start and run a fortune 500 company. He does expect you to prioritize financial principles, so you do not live year after year praying for a financial miracle to take place.
The third man said, “I knew you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow.” Notice the master’s response, “you wicked and lazy servant. You knew I harvested where I did not sow….” * Full disclaimer: Please know I am not suggesting anyone is a “wicked and lazy servant.” (This is probably why few pastors preach on this parable.) Notice the master did not agree with or repeat the servants claim that he was a “hard man”. He was not hard, he was fair. God is fair and honors the laws of finance.
Finally, the master said, take his bag of gold, give it to the one with ten and throw him into the darkness. The master did not split the bag of gold between the other two servants. This is the only difference between the first and second servants. The master gave it to the one with ten bags. “For whoever has, will be given more and have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he does have will be taken from him.” The middle class is shrinking, and the money of the poor is going increasingly to the wealthy all over the world. This is a law of finance.
Learn these laws of finance because God wants his servants to be financially blessed to be a blessing.
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This material contains the current opinions of the author/presenter but not necessarily those of Guardian or its subsidiaries and such opinions are subject to change without notice.
Registered Principal and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. General Agent of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Ironhorse Financial is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. AR Insurance License #5071203. 2022-143261 Exp. 9/24