What’s your “money script”?
Psychologist Bradley Kontz developed that phrase to describe our often unconscious beliefs and stories about money, including how much we need, how to spend it (or not spend it), and how much to give away.
We all have a money script—and it’s usually flawed, at least according to the Bible’s vision for human flourishing.
Fortunately, the Bible offers plenty of wisdom and power to help us rewrite our disordered scripts about money. The Bible has an alternative money script, which we are going to learn about together as a church. Over the next two weeks (November 10 and 17), in our sermon series titled “Money: Curse or Blessing?”, we’ll explore one passage in particular—the Apostle Paul’s instructions to a young church leader in 1 Timothy 6:10-19.
Here it is:
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
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. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 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.
Paul has two main points about money.
First, it can curse our lives when we love it too much or when we allow greed to make us churn with discontentment. Repentance and faith in the Risen Christ can set us free from the curse or dark side of money.
However, as a man rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Apostle Paul also wanted to form the Church in another aspect of money: the good side of money. The “rich of this world” (see 1 Timothy 6:17), often know how to create wealth. And when that wealth is generously given away, it can bless the world by spreading the gospel, alleviating suffering, helping the poor, and building the Church.
Join us these next Sundays as we dig into this essential topic:
Nov. 10 | Fr. Brett Crull | The Love of Money
Nov. 17 | Fr. Matt Woodley | The Opportunity of Money
