It’s All Gift

Yesterday we reflected on Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, “You cannot serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and Money.”

However, it is not that money is bad. It’s not.

You probably have heard people misquote the Bible when they say, “Money is the root of all evil.” The Bible doesn’t say that. It says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Money is amoral. I heard Dave Ramsey talk about how it is like a brick. Perhaps if you saw someone walking down the street carrying a brick, you might think, “Oh! That’s bad. He has a brick!” Yes, he could take that brick and throw it through a window. Or he could take that brick and begin to lay a foundation for a health clinic in Haiti. The brick is amoral—like money. It just depends on what we do with it.

From the point of view of scripture, everything we have is a gift from God—our money, our time, our intelligence, our creativity, our ability to generate income. And the question of stewardship is more of a prayer: Okay, God, how do you want me to use what I have in a way that pleases you? Stewardship really is about spiritual growth. It is about putting our lives and our resources to work on God’s behalf.

Today, let’s intentionally give this some thought. Perhaps we could ask:

How can I honor God with what I already have, however small it may seem?

How might I offer something of myself today—time, kindness, prayer, or listening—even if I can’t give financially?

In what ways might I experience joy or freedom through generosity?

Let us pray: Gracious God, you are the giver of every good gift—of life, of breath, of love. When our hands feel empty, remind us that your hands hold us. When our hearts feel weary, lift the weight we carry and fill us with peace. Teach us to trust that what we have is enough when it is placed in your care. Show us how to use our resources, our time, and even our small moments of kindness as signs of your grace at work in the world. May our giving, our serving, and even our resting be acts of faith. We offer you all that we are and all that we have—in gratitude, in hope, and in love. Amen.