Wednesday, January 27, 2010 

Cycle #15 - $162.84

Last weekend someone challenged me about the premise of this Double Up adventure. Their issue wasn't so much about the process, but the premise – that God would want me to grow financial stewardship, and that my efforts to double $.01 as many times as I can in the year 2010 could be my discipleship mandate for this season. “Money is root of evil,” they reminded me. Their claim of course is only partially true. The Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil…” There’s a difference there.  I've been thinking about this issue though. Am I fooling myself into letting greed drive me, and using spiritual words to justify my ambition?

This got me thinking about common misconceptions I’ve held about the "stuff" of wealth, misbeliefs that have held me back from growing into a balanced man and mature and complete in my destiny. Here are a few points/counterpoints, things I’ve commonly believed followed by their rebuttals. I’m sure there are more…

1. Money is dirty… True, but Jesus washes everything clean.
2. Money is the root of all evil… No, “The love of money is the root all sorts of evil.”
3. Money doesn’t’ grow on trees… But it grows like trees from seeds of ideas planted in me that produce fruit which I plant around me.   
4. Time is money… And I have timeless eternity, and therefore boundless money! 
5. I can’t follow Jesus and steward wealth at the same time because he says I can’t serve Mammon and serve God… Okay, I will make Mammon serve me, as I serve God! 
6. I can’t afford things… But my Father already paid the bill! 
7. When I spend I lose and have less.  When I spend I invest and grow more! 
8. I have not because I have not… Wrong again: I have not because I ask not.
9. Ask and you will be scolded… Ask and I will receive
10. The wealth of the nations will hide from me… the wealth of the nations comes to me. 
11. Money isn’t everything… But money is something – something I must and can master.

So, I'm going on, in obedience. “God, give me the right heart in all this!” No ambition, envy or greed… Just obedience.  

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