God > Money

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Hello folks. Today is a devotional about how we should put God first, over financial gains. The verses from Tobit are not from the Protestant canon, but are part of the Catholic and Orthodox canons, though the advice given in Tobit can apply to all denominations.

Date​	August 3, 2024 | God > Money​
Verse​	Matthew 6:24-26 (NIV): "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Luke 12:15 (NIV): "Then he said to them [the crowd], ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’" 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV): "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Proverbs 3:9-10 (NIV): "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Tobit 4:5-9 (NRSV-CE): "Revere the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing; for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousness give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have."​
Explanation​	These five passages from the Bible emphasize the importance of placing God as the sole focus in one's life rather than accumulating wealth and being consumed by materialism.​ Matthew 6:24-26 highlights that serving two masters, such as God and money, is impossible because you will either love or despise one. It then encourages the reader not to worry about their needs like food, drink, or clothing since they are of lesser importance compared to spiritual matters. Luke 12:15 warns against all kinds of greed as life does not consist in an abundance of possessions and emphasizes the danger of focusing on material wealth instead of God. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 stresses that godliness with contentment is great gain, stating that those who desire riches fall into temptation, greed, and even abandon their faith. It also mentions that love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Proverbs 3:9-10 advises Christians to honor God by giving their firstfruits (best part) of their crops to Him in order to be blessed with abundance and prosperity. Tobit 4:5-9 encourages believers to live uprightly, give alms from their possessions, help the poor, avoid covetousness, and not let their own financial situation prevent them from being generous. In this verse, Tobit gave advice to his son, Tobias to serve others by giving away a part of what little money he had.
Societal Relevance​	In terms of strategies for Christians to avoid materialism, they can practice contentment by focusing on gratitude for what they have rather than constantly desiring more. They should also prioritize giving to God and others before spending on themselves. Additionally, regularly reading the Bible, praying, meditating, and attending church services will help them maintain a spiritual focus in their lives. Regarding using wealth to further God's kingdom, Christians can support missionaries, fund charitable organizations, or even provide financial assistance directly to those in need. This helps spread the message of Christ and demonstrates Christian love and compassion to others. For donors with limited resources, they can still make a significant impact by giving proportionally according to their means. Donating regularly rather than only during special occasions can also have a lasting effect on the lives of those in need. Additionally, praying for guidance when deciding how to allocate resources is essential as it ensures that their gifts are used wisely and effectively for God's glory. Donating money to a good cause has been a part of my life recently since late 2022, typically giving around $60 during the hottest three months in the summer, and another $60 in the coldest three months of the winter to an organization that helps Wisconsinites pay for cooling and heating bills. During the spring and fall, I have yet to create a donation schedule for each month, though I did give some money to a tree planting organization. All of this is to try and further God’s Kingdom on Earth.