Confidence in Money as it Goes Away
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”
1 Timothy 6:17–20 ESV Read More
Money and Confidence
Paul slips a little paradox into this conversation about money just like Jesus would do. He knows that with riches, people have confidence in the world. The world and everything in it is uncertain but money often gives the illusion of certainty.
Think about where money gives the false confidence of certainty:
If this or that happens, insurance will cover it.
If we have this problem, we’ll put it on the credit card.
I won’t have that trouble, because I bought this thing… etc.
What if the real truth is that God richly provides us with everything to enjoy? That’s the part that the prosperity gospel message often misses. Everything that is provided for us, sometimes even in abundance, isn’t for us to consume, but to give away! Instead of being rich in uncertain money, be rich in good works and be generous.
Confidence in Giving Stuff Away
Paul gives a perspective that generosity and good works become a certainty in the future. He uses words like “foundation” and “truly life” to describe the outcome of this lifestyle. *That * sounds like the opposite of the false confidence of cash.
The word game at the end is the best. Instead of guarding a deposit of money that has been entrusted to you, guard the eternal deposit. Irreverent bible and false knowledge don’t grow the real spiritual deposit that has been given to you. If you’ve ever been a joyful giver or a gracious receiver, you know that good works and generosity make a much greater impact than irreverent babble.
Better than the FDIC
Consider, today, how much trouble the world puts into protecting their deposits of cash and increasing that savings 3–4%. Jesus said that the return on investment in the Kingdom of Heaven would be 30, 60, or 100 times greater. That is the real life that Jesus and Paul are talking about.
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