God gives you more than money – August 4, 2023

Read: 1 Timothy 6:17-21

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
1 Timothy 6:17

God gives you more than money

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Matt and Rachel were so excited. They finally were buying the house of their dreams for their young family. But it wasn’t easy! They were anxious that someone else would swoop in and buy the house before they could. They went to the bank to get help to fund it. Through it all, they scrounged and scraped to put together a downpayment—even emptying the big bottle of coins on the floor by their dresser! If you asked Matt and Rachel, “If you had more money, would it have made it all easier?” They would have answered, “Absolutely!” But Matt and Rachel also knew what a temptation that would be—to be arrogant and put their hope in wealth.

Where does that temptation come from? We’re born with it. The sinful nature knows only how to be arrogant and to put its hope in all the wrong gods. In our verse for today, Paul warns Timothy about the special temptation that wealthy people face when they count on their money or how many good things they own. That’s when wealth stops being a good thing and starts being a god. But it’s not just rich people who think about money. People with little money also think a lot about money!

How does God want us to think about money? God says that money makes you no promises, forgives zero of your sins, and guarantees nothing in your eternity. So why pursue it as our highest good? It will only make you arrogant when you have some and angry when you don’t. No wonder Paul said that wealth is so uncertain.

When Matt and Rachel were facing the uncertainty of buying their home, they decided to put their hope in God instead of pinning it on the not-so-almighty dollar. They realized God is the one who owns everything and yet made himself nothing, so that in Christ he could take their place.

God gives you more than money. He gives you Jesus. For all our self-serving attitudes about money, Jesus had a single thought his entire life: saving you. So he gave up everything to make you his own. In Christ, we are set free from sin and freed to see money in a whole new way. Money doesn’t give meaning to your life; but your new life with Christ does! May you and your family reflect his love, support the work of sharing his love, and remember that Jesus is your hope!

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, you are our sure and certain hope. You never fail us, leave us, or forsake us. Help us to trust in your perfect power to provide all that we need. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Who owns everything in the whole world?
• What has God given to you?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why is trusting in money to solve all our problems a bad idea?
• Who “was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich”?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Agree/Disagree: Money is the root of all evil.
• How does Jesus’ free forgiveness change the way I think about money and stuff?