Jesus often instructed people about handling finances and dealing with money issues. It was actually one of His most popular topics during His ministry. Why does God go out on a limb to teach us extensively about handling money? Does He really care that much about what we do with our money?
If there's one thing we know for sure, it is that God doesn't need our money. He doesn't use it and He certainly doesn't need it to purchase anything that suits His needs or wants. Moreover, God doesn't need to ask for our money because it was always His from the beginning.
So why does God talk to us so much about money? It's not because He needs it or because He cares about how much of it we have. What matters most to God is what the money we have does to our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Money on it's own is not evil. It is actually neutral, bringing neither good nor bad. What determines if our money comes out as good or evil is our attitude about it. God couldn't care any less about the money we have and how much of it we hold -- you can have as much or as little of it as you'd like but that's not what corrupts.
What matters most to God is our hearts and our attitude toward money. Matthew 6:21 says it very plainly and simply, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
For many people, money can take a very high position in their lives, often even the top position. We know when money becomes too much of a value when our mood and character change with the amount of money we have. We rejoice with God when we have much and question God when we have little. This is only proof that God is not the one you serve, but money.
And the Bible is pretty clear that we cannot serve both God and money. It's either Jesus is in charge or money is. When money is in charge of our lives, we act completely differently from what God wants from us, and 100 percent of the time when this happens we actually live lives that can be destructive to our whole being.
But when we put God in control over our circumstance and put Him in charge of every area of our life, including our finances, His blessing, peace and wisdom will follow. God doesn't really care much about your money. He is after your heart.
