A Balanced View of Money

MONEY AND PREJUDICE 

A distorted view of money can cause people to become judgmental. For example, a wealthy person might assume that those who are poor are too lazy  to better themselves. Or a person with lesser means might hastily conclude that those who have more are materialistic or greedy.  Leanne, a teenager in a relatively wealthy family, was a victim of that type of prejudice, she relates: 

"I used to be known as the girl whose father makes loads of money. So I often got comments such as:  "If you want something, all you have to do is ask Daddy' or 'Sorry we aren't all rich and can afford nice cars like your family.'  I finally asked my friends to stop saying those things, and I explained to them why their words hurt me.  I wanted to be known, not as a person has money, but as someone who does kind things for others." 

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

The Bible neither condemns money nor criticizes those who have it-even a lot of it.  The point is not the amount a person has but the attitude toward what he has or wants to acquire.  The Bible's counsel regarding money is balanced, and it is as relevant today as when it was written. Note the following examples. 

THE BIBLE SAYS: "Do not wear yourself out  to gain wealth." -Proverbs  23:4. 

According to the book the Narcissism Epidemic, people who pursue wealth are more apt  to "suffer from poor mental health; they also report more physical health problems such as sore throats, backaches and were more likely to drink too much alcohol and use illegal drugs. Striving for financial success, apparently, makes people miserable." 

Next time: Continue with A Balanced View of Money - More examples

From the AWAKE! magazine, 2015