Our Greatest Security
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5,6
The writer of Hebrews sees two completely contrasting approaches to how we live. Western Christianity tends to blur the clear line between them. On one side is the love of money (not money alone but the love of money – as in 1 Timothy 6:10). On the other side is contentment, an inner settledness with what we already have (as in Philippians 4:11)
Because the love of money is never satisfied, it quickly becomes covetousness. Covetousness and contentment are old foes.
Covetousness grows out of the seed of doubt but contentment from the seed of faith. Coveting is typical of the world because in the world money is the greatest security there is. But for the Christian who knows his God, the greatest security is His God. ‘God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”’ The certainty of God’s abiding presence with us is why we can be content with what we have.
The person who doesn’t know God most times thinks this life is all there is. Grasping everything it offers seems justified. But the Christian knows this world is temporary. It isn’t our real home (Philippians 3:20). Piling more and more earthly treasures to ourselves when the next world is the real one just doesn’t make sense. The Christian knows heavenly treasures are what really matter (Matthew 6:19-21).
We don’t disdain money. We use it responsibly knowing we’ll be held accountable for what we’ve done with what we had (Matthew 25:14-30). But we never make it an end in itself. Money is never meant to be more than a means to an end where that end is always in line with God’s character.
Learn to live within your means and learn to be content within your means. You’ll be amazed how God begins to change your life.
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