How We Use Money is an Indicator of Our Walk with God
Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2
The verse, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30, caused me to imagine what adding one more phrase, and with all your money, could do to further our grasp of this all-important Scripture.
How is it possible to love God with “all” of us and honor Him with our money, too? Does it really matter? Often we place more importance on money than on God which makes our use of money a spot-on testing ground for godly character.
A recent article, “Why Your ‘Organic’ Milk May Not Be Organic”, revealed dishonesty within the ‘organic’ milk industry. Since I prefer buying organic food in an attempt to eat as healthily as possible, this article hit close to home. Profits are driving some [not all] big producers to cheat. It costs more to produce organic milk because of USDA standards requiring these cows graze on grass each day and not continuously be kept in feed lots. In return, grass-fed cow milk sells for lots more than regular milk leaving ample room for a reasonable profit to be made—but more profit if dishonesty is at work. If organic farms violate organic rules, consumers are being misled and overcharged. In the case of milk, consumers pay extra—often double—when the carton says, “USDA Organic,” in the belief they are getting something different. Organic dairy sales amounted to $6 billion last year in the United States.[i]
Freedom to Be Honest or Dishonest
The freedom to earn wages in honest or dishonest ways, and the freedom to spend money in admirable or reprehensible ways, brought me to explore the two opposing standards.
Money births both greed and generosity. It can feed addictions, influence personal gain and corrupt practices, provide shelter, and help those in need of assistance. Money isn’t bad. But, if gathering riches is our biggest goal, we might be forfeiting God’s best blessings. In fact, the Bible sheds wisdom on this dangerous pursuit.
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:34
The same article went on to reveal an investigation by USDA into Aurora milk found ‘willful violations’ by the dairy. . . . Among other things, for three years ‘failed to provide a total feed ration that included pasture.’ This resulted in a class-action lawsuit settlement of $7.5 million but Aurora admitted no wrongdoing.
God’s Dislike of Misleading Business Practices
Proverbs 13:11 underscores God’s dislike of misleading business practices. Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
There’s a Choice For Us to Make
How close do we want to walk with the Lord? Whether to cheat or be honest in our money dealings is a day-to-day choice we all make. One option enriches our relationship with the Lord and the other doesn’t.
[i] Peter Whoriskey, Washington Post, May 1, 2017 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/why-your-organic-milk-may-not-be-organic/2017/05/01/708ce5bc-ed76-11e6-9662-6eedf1627882_story.html?utm_term=.6af050931279&wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-economy%252Bnation&wpmk=1
