Show Me the Money

Illustration: An angel appeared at a faculty meeting and told the dean that in return for his unselfish service, he will be rewarded with his choice of wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects wisdom. "It is done!" the angel said, and then disappeared into a cloud of smoke. All of the other members of the faculty stared at the dean with amazement. Finally one of them whispered, "Now that you have infinite wisdom, Dean, say something." The dean looked them and said, "I should have taken the money."

In all seriousness, we know that according to Scripture it is much better to get wisdom than money (Proverbs 16:16). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the relationship we have with Him teaches us how to live (Proverbs 9:10). This includes how we handle finances.

In His many teachings on money (in 16 of 28 parables Jesus talked about money or possessions) the most important principle that He offers connects your heart to your treasure.

Luke 12:22–34 NKJV

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In the conversation with His disciples, Jesus speaks to emotions like fear, worry, anxiety and how these things drive us to pursue things. Instead of pursuing these things, He tells us to seek the kingdom of God and then contrasts these emotions with an appeal to trusting God because He knows our needs and will provide them.

Jesus continues and says that it is your Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. And then He says to give alms and store up treasures in heaven. And as we do so our heart will follow them.

Jesus takes money out of the material world and connects it to the center of our lives. We are commanded to guard our hearts because out of them flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

Jesus draws a line from the things we treasure to our hearts. But instead of our treasure following our heart, our heart follows our treasure. Those things which are most important to us have all of our attention and care.

The focus isn’t the amount as much as it is in the direction. Are you pursuing things or seeking the kingdom?

What direction is your treasure in?

How does the way you spend your treasure speak about the priorities in your life?

Giving Reveals the Heart

John 12:1–2 NKJV

1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

Mark 14:3 NKJV

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

John 12:3 NKJV

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Jesus came to Lazarus’ hometown and was enjoying a meal at Simon’s house. Martha was serving, Lazarus was probably telling people the story of how Jesus raised him from the dead. And Mary comes in with a pound of spikenard oil in an alabaster flask. She pours it on Jesus’ head and on His feet.

This was not any old perfumed oil. This was nardos. One of the most expensive perfumes during that time. It was worth almost a year’s salary, about $2400 in our day. Spikenard was an expensive ointment made from the roots and stems of a plant that grew in the Himalayas in India. The oil was squeezed out and dried into a hard, lard-like substance. Considering that this was not only a special perfume but it was imported all the way from India adds to cost. This was the real thing. It was very costly. And she poured it on Jesus feet.

And not only that, she then took her hair and wiped His feet with it. This took her gift to another level. In that time, a woman’s hair was considered her glory or her honor (1 Corinthians 11:15). When she unwrapped her hair and wiped His feet she was offering Him this gift in utmost humility. She offered Him her greatest gift with an attitude of complete devotion.

If Jesus was right that what a person spends their money on reveals the priority of their lives, based on her gift, what do you think Mary’s gift revealed about where her treasure was?

To Mary, Jesus was the treasure. To Mary, it was worth giving up this natural treasure for something and someone much more significant and much more important. Why? Because she was grateful. He raised her brother to life. He accepted her as a disciple. She loved Him.

Giving is an act of worship and devotion. Giving reveals our hearts.

Not everyone appreciated her gift.

Mark 14:4–5 NKJV

4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

Some were indignant at her gift. They were angry and they criticized her. Their hearts were exposed. She gave Him an extravagant gift, and they gave nothing.

John 12:4–6 NKJV

4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

In John’s account, the loudest voice was revealed to be Judas Iscariot. Judas was stealing from the offerings that were given to support Jesus’ ministry. And it was Judas who would betray Him.

Of all of the people, Mary’s gift exposed Judas’ heart. She loved the Lord. He betrayed her.

Her treasure was Jesus. His treasure was Judas.

She gave her best to Jesus. He took whatever he could for Judas.

She honored Jesus. Judas betrayed Jesus.

Who Do You Serve?

Luke 16:13 NKJV

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Jesus made it plain that when it comes to serving God or serving riches you can only serve one.

Mary, who loved the Lord demonstrated with her giving that she served God.

Judas, in his betrayal, demonstrated that he served mammon.

Matthew 26:14–16 NKJV

14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

In the prophet Zechariah’s time, he prophesied to the people and they knew it was the LORD. He asked them to pay him and they gave him 30 pieces of silver. God told him to throw that 30 pieces of silver into the house of the LORD (Zechariah 11:11-13). This 30 pieces meant to be the cost of a slaves life per the Law (Exodus 21:32).

Judas sold out Jesus for the price of a slave. He showed utter contempt for Him and betrayed Him. How did he do this? Money.

Conclusion

Jesus is very clear that what a person does with their money reveals what is in their heart.

A person could say that they love the church, but never give to the church. According to Jesus’ words, that person’s heart is not in the church no matter what they say. Why? Because if their treasure isn’t in the church, their heart isn’t either.

I might say I love the Lord, but if I don’t honor Him with tithes and offerings like I am commanded to, either I don’t know about tithing or I am only giving Him lip service. If I truly love the Lord, my finances would show it…I would tithe.

Illustration: A husband who repeatedly tells his wife that he loves her but never buys her anything or gives her gifts to demonstrate that love. He has money for things he likes and stuff he likes to do, but none for her. Who does he love more, himself or his wife?

The issue of giving is one that Jesus spoke to because it exposes what is in our hearts.

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.

This principle is more than stuff it is about relationships. It is about how we relate and connect with the things that matter most to us: to God and to others.

Don’t give in to fear, worry, or anxiety about the things you need in life. Don’t allow those emotions to drive you to pursue the very things that God promises to provide for you.

Instead, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Your heavenly Father desires to give you the kingdom. With that in mind, give alms, be generous and set your treasure in heavenly places. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.

Since that is true, what does the way you spend your money reveal about you? Let’s pray.