When money becomes our god
GENTLE BREEZE
By NELLY FAVIS VILLAFUERTE
Nelly Favis Villafuerte
When somebody rich dies, the question usually asked by friends and relatives of the deceased is: “How much money and other material possessions did he leave?” Then the guessing game starts. Actually, there is no need to guess how much wealth is left by the deceased since the answer is simply: “He actually left all.”
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As the Holy Bible says: For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Timothy 6:7) It is really puzzling why many of us equate success and contentment in life with money and other material possessions. This, despite the very clear and emphatic statement in the Holy Bible that love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. People have strayed away from their faith and a happy married life because of wealth. Others so obsessed with money have eventually gone down the drain morally, spiritually, physically, and psychologically. Again, as the Holy Bible says: “He who seeks silver will never ‘be satisfied with silver.” This statement comes from King Solomon, considered in the Holy Bible as the richest man in the ancient world.
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Money, per se, is not bad. But when money becomes our god -- it is bad. God blesses people financially so that the wealth can be used to glorify God, spread His Gospel, and to share the wealth with other people who are in need.
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There are more people who are broke at one time or another than wealthy people. And there are more people who blame God when they are broke than people who praise and thank God when they are broke. In spite of the fact that many of us know that it is not right for us to blame God when we are broke, we still do. What we fail to consider and forget most of the time is that our life; our senses of smelling, hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, as well as our so-called 6th sense; our families; our friends; as well as our other blessings in life all come from our Almighty God. Stated otherwise, we should acknowledge the Lord’s ownership of us and all that we have.
We should also offer a part of what our God has given to us to be used for His greater glory. This is actually the very essence of tithing. What is tithing? From the biblical standpoint, tithing is simply that act of giving the tenth part of one’s income to the Lord. The origin of this Christian practice is not known. What is certain is that tithing originated long before Moses was born and before the Ten Commandments were given to Moses at Mount Sinai. It started even before there was ever a Hebrew nation.
Can we rob our Lord God? Yes. In tithes and offerings, Malachi 3:8-10 says: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, “How do we rob you? In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
As Proverbs 3:9 says: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops.” Our Lord is grieved every time we spend our money earmarked to tithing for shopping and paying our other household bills instead. This is an insult to the Lord. Tithing should have first priority over the other usage of our funds. Tithing should also come from the heart. As the Holy Bible says: “God loves a cheerful giver.”
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It is not true, as some claim that tithing is an Old Testament practice and is no longer applicable in this modern age. I believe this is a very strange theory. By believing this statement, one is actually saying that while God claimed the tithes of the Jews and the other early Christians, God exempts Christians of this modern generation from tithing. It may also be worthwhile noting that tithing is also mentioned in the New Testament. (See 1 Corinthians 16:2) In 2 Corinthians 9:7, we find the following: “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” There are many well-known businessmen who have tithed far more than a tenth of their income (like the founders of Colgate-Palmolive and Quaker Oats) who prospered financially because they tithed generously. Confirming that prosperity is always linked to tithing and giving. Reaffirming that when we give our best to God, He gives us the best of everything. The problem with many of us is that we are stingy tithers. Investing more for the shampooing of our poodle and other pets than in our tithes. Spending more for tips than for our tithes. Good tippers but not good tithers. This is a sad situation since all our money is God’s money and therefore every spending decision should be a spiritual decision.
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This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letter-request to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 LRV Building, Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.
Be joyful and forgiving! (Comments may be sent to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: [email protected])