If you’ve spent much time studying scripture or just around the church, it likely doesn’t surprise you that the bible has a lot to say about money.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
As I invested time this summer to discern my next career move, one comment in particular from my dad stuck with me for much of the year’s thinking.
Paraphrasing here, but his comment was, “Great entrepreneurs pick great markets".
Conveniently for me, the faith and work “industry” is having a bit of a hockey stick moment. Check out this Google Trends graph to get an idea of what I mean!
Why do I bring this up? Well at the risk of getting everyone riled up this Friday morning, here is the question I’ll pose to us today.
What do you think this chart would look like if we called it the “Faith and Money” industry?
I think you can guess my point of view. I think everyone’s shields would go up and conversation would get uncomfortable VERY quickly.
Mo Money, Mo Problems
If you recall the verses we looked at to begin this article, it seems pretty clear to me that God would tend to agree with Michael Scott and Notorious B.I.G …
You see, while connecting our faith and our work isn’t the easiest thing to experience on a day-to-day basis, it’s pretty easy to WANT to experience it. I mean sure, maybe its convenient for you to keep God out of your work so that His ways don’t get in the way of your plans, but most Christians I know genuinely want God to be with them.
However, the moment we shift to connecting our faith and our money, the more cynical parts of me come out. I don’t think any of us (myself included) WANT to risk the security that money can offer.
Last week I shared a hypothesis about changing the goal of our work to “Working for Joy”.
Here is my hypothesis for this week:
If money is our security, our work will always be about survival or approval.
If the Father is our security, we’re free to work for joy.
Jack Miller, and the ministry Serge, released a program called “Sonship” in the late 90’s which popularized the concept of living like a son or daughter, vs living like an orphan.
In the book he, provides a two page chart that compares and contrasts statements that reflect an living from an “orphan’s heart” vs what it sounds like to live as a son or daughter of our Lord.
Here is a version I worked up related specifically about our money. Read through both sides and take note of where you recognize yourself in these statements.
No Condemnation in Christ Jesus
The good news is that no matter how many of the “orphan” phrases we related to, Romans 8:1 reminds us that “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.
Resting in the truth and goodness of that verse, I invite you to pray through this week’s hypothesis and see what the Lord stirs.
If money is our security, our work will always be about survival or approval.
If the Father is our security, we’re free to work for joy.
I’m writing each week because I deeply desire for all of us to experience working for joy. I hope that the Lord meets you in a powerful way this weekend as you seek his heart for the work and money he’s given you to steward.
As always, please respond to this email if you’d like to chat and discuss anything from this or other posts! And if you have any friends who you think might derive value from exploring Wholehearted Work - I’d love for you to share it with them.
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With Heart,
Alex
