The way I see it, you absolutely cannot live without money. Our society has manifested itself in such a way that anything you want to do, have, eat, see, visit, try, etc. requires money. Of course, there are a few exceptions, although most of these still cost you money, just in an indirect type of way. For example, Troy and I went and visited the Department of Treasury's Printing & Engraving Facility yesterday. Since it is a federal institution, it was free to get in and tour the facility and museum. Money was required indirectly as the cost of the gas to get out there. And let me tell you, it was much farther than we thought. We were practically to Texas Motor Speedway!
I have a love/hate relationship with money. The urge to spend does grab me sometimes. I could do some serious damage if let go in Target or various other stores if I had no inhibitions about spending money. I really hate that money has to play such a huge role in my life. I hate that my days, weeks and months are dictated by how much money we do or don't have. On the other hand, I love having money and being able to maintain a living for us. I love it when my checkbook balances down to the penny. I love it when I can go shopping and buy something new.
Money is the source of so much pleasure, but even more so strife. Wars are started over money. Divorces result from problems with money. Corruption is fed by the want of money. I could go on and on. 1 Timothy 6:10 lays it out pretty clearly: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Personally, money is a source of conviction. You've probably heard it said that you can tell a lot about a person based on what they spend the most time worrying about and/or thinking about. Money definitely falls close to the top of that list for me. Not so much about whether or not we'll have enough to pay the bills or buy gas and groceries, but because everything else depends on where we stand financially at that particular moment. Whether we can go out with friends or family, eat out, or even buy birthday gifts all depends on that single factor.
I will tell you that I am extremely grateful that money is not the only to measure one's riches. I am rich in many other ways: I have a wonderful family and extended family...I have several great, close, trustworthy and loyal friends...I have a job that I actually enjoy, as does Troy...I have a fantastic husband/best friend...I have 3 amazing little doggies that never fail to brighten even the worst of days...I have a home that I am proud of, along with many other material things...the list goes on and on.
Even more important than all these things though is the fact that I have a Heavenly Father that paid the highest price possible for a relationship with me - His son's excruciating death on the Cross. He loves me, forgives me, comforts me, listens to me, convicts me, and showers unending grace and mercy on me - all of these things undeserved because I am wretched sinner. He looks past all these things and sees inside the deepest place in my heart that I need Him, that I love Him and that I could not function without Him. That makes me as rich as I can ever be.
He is my provision. Through Him, I have everything that I could possibly need. On top of that, He gives me things I want as well. At church on Sunday, Wes talked about these verses, 2 Peter 1:3-9 (see below).
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."
To summarize, God's divine power has provided us with everything we need to sustain life and live in godliness. It is our job to supplement our faith with goodness, knowledge (wisdom), self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love. James 2 talks about how faith without deeds is nothing and in the same way, action without faith is also dead. We must strive to balance our life between these two things - faith and deeds. The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) also come to my mind as I read this verse. One can profess that they have faith from the rooftops, however if there is no fruit, their is no proof of their faith other than their own claim.
This is all a bit of the slap in the face for me - a reminder of how my life should be and what role my faith should play in my life.
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