Proper use of money is a challenge for many of us, myself included. I've never had too much trouble with giving to the church; my parents modeled this well for me, and my wife supports this same attitude of giving. But I confess that I give to the church more out of habit than as an act of worship. Maybe I should try to give my financial resources as an act of worship.

My personal spending is still a bit of a challenge. How do I spend my "fun" money? I have that affliction that many of us seem to have, the "desire to acquire." I don't rush out and buy things on impulse; that's not been a problem for me. In fact, that would take away a lot of the fun. The fun for me is in all the research and evaluation (I'm an engineer). The "thrill of the hunt" is sometimes more fun than after I've brought it home. For those who hunt or fish, what's more fun? The hunting and fishing, or eating the meal from your prey afterwards.

Some folks have been coveting the new iPhone this week. That's not something I need or even want, but this is something that some folks seem very determined to have. Will it change their lives? Probably not. It might make their time away from their computers more tolerable, as they can stay connected to the internet from wherever they are. But I just don't want to stay that connected.

Even if we don't want the new iPhone or some other new gadget, most of us desire more money for the thing(s) that it could allow us to acquire. We think that having more possessions could make our lives more fulfilled somehow. But I always seem to find that no matter what new object I've acquired, it does not satisfy indefinitely.

The earnings of the godly enhance their lives,
but evil people squander their money on sin.
(Proverbs 10:16)

This Proverb reminds me to us my resources in a godly manner to enhance my life, and not waste my resources on things that separate me from God. Great advice. I'm not sure I've ever evaluated my "fun money" spending that way, but I just might give it a try.

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Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. (Proverbs 3:9)

I haven't been in the "workforce" for very many years, and I'm still learning how to be responsible with money. When I first graduated from college, I got a full-time job that earned me considerably more money than I had ever had at my disposal before. Because I was still living with my parents, I had few bills or financial responsibilities; the money I earned was, for the most part, "mad money." I went shopping every weekend, buying clothes and things I didn't need. I soon found myself with a dangerous habit. I was spending money faster than I could earn it, and while I never went into credit card debt, I was no stranger to overdraft fees that came as a result of overdrawing my account.

Fortunately, someone helped me out of my predicament and I no longer have those problems hanging over my head. As a result of that experience, though, I have had to relearn everything I ever did regarding money. I am learning that because my money is from God, I should use it for Him. A closet full of clothes is not, in itself, a bad thing; however, there are better ways to honor God and show my appreciation to Him for what He has given me than my self-indulgent habits. The first portion of everything I earn should be set aside for God and ways to honor Him rather than for a pair of shoes I've had my eye on. Just as I work for the Lord, I should use the wealth and resources I earn as a result of that work for the Lord as well. The very best of all I am and all I have belongs to the Lord, not me.

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Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. (Proverbs 13:11)

The idea of discovering a "get rich quick" scheme, earning lots of money, and never having to work again is a pretty appealing one, but they're not always what they first appear to be.

Recently, my husband and I were approached by a man who wanted to get us involved in a plan that he promised would earn us thousands of extra dollars of income a year with little time or energy spent on our part. We had been praying for financial help, because I wanted to go back to school and we were unsure how we would make that happen. This opportunity almost seemed too good to pass up. It seemed like God had heard our prayers and was sending us our answer.

As we thought and prayed more about it, though, we got a weird feeling about the whole thing, and weren't sure if we should go with it or not. We were confused, though. It seemed like it could have been a God-sent solution to our concerns, but it seemed like it could be too good to be true. On the other hand, though, we didn't want to overlook it if God had sent us a blessing. Have you ever heard the story of the man who is stranded on a roof in a flood? He prays and prays for God to send him a way off the roof, but ignores every boat that comes by to save him, saying, "No, thank you. God is going to save me." My husband and I wondered if this opportunity was our "boat." What if this was the way God had planned for us to make our dreams come true? We didn't want to ignore that, for sure.

As we prayed about it, though, we soon felt sure that this was not what God wanted for us and knew we had to run as fast as we could in the other direction from this "wonderful opportunity." We decided, finally, that it had to be too good to be true, and trusted God's guidance for us. While it might be harder and take a little longer, we now know that God desires us to work for more reasons than just financial gain. Work I s engrained into us, and God knows that is the way to true wealth. He made us that way.

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What is the definition of wealth? Wealth can be defined as being rich or affluent. Being wealthy can mean having a lot of money and possessions. Being wealthy can also mean that one is rich in character. Even though a person may be considered rich, he may still be poor. Money cannot buy happiness, but a lot of people think that it can. I am sometimes guilty of believing this.

I am guilty of sometimes looking down at those living in poverty. It is hard for me to feel sympathy for someone who makes foolish choices and winds up poor. When I see a homeless person, I sometimes have a hard time feeling sorry for them as well. I wonder why they made foolish choices to put themselves in their predicament. Through my eyes I see someone who is poor. Many times my judgment is wrong. I have seen many poor people who are actually wealthy. Even though they may not have money (wealth), they have wealth because they are happy. They aren't bogged down by the desire to amass things. When I think of all the material things that I want, and what I would do if I were rich, I am reminded of what Mark 10:25 says.

The recent events dealing with celebrities and their brushes with the law and rehab are indicators that wealth cannot buy happiness, nor can it buy favor with God. Wanting and having money and possessions is not a bad thing, but when it reaches the level that it becomes a consuming desire to continue amassing wealth, it becomes unfavorable to God. How many times we have heard the passage from Timothy 6:10, 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.

When we enter into a relationship with Jesus, we truly become wealthy. The wealth that we receive comes in the form of salvation. No amount of money can buy salvation. We can only serve one God. Will it be the god of money and worldly riches, or will it be the God who provides us with an eternal life that is full of His wealth? I would like to think that I live my life according to Proverbs 22:1, A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Wealth. How do you define it?

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