Mr Ramsey cautions us to have the right mentality about money. Some people think that accumulating wealth is evil. They misquote the Bible and think that money is the root of all evil. That is NOT what God’s Word teaches. The full verse says, “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.” (1Ti 6:10) Did we get that? It is the LOVE of money, powered by that old Prideful, MMI mentality that is the root of all kinds of evil. If we chase money for our own pleasures only, then THAT is evil. I love how Mr Ramsey explains, “Money is amoral. It doesn’t have morals. It’s not good and it’s not bad. It’s the love of money that’s the problem – and that’s a human problem, not a money problem.” (p10)
Then he goes on to give an excellent example: money is like a brick. We can choose to throw that brick through someone’s window OR we can choose to use that brick to build a children’s hospital. He says, “It’s just a brick. But when you put it into the hands of a human being, it takes on the character of the person. It does whatever the person holding it wants to do.” (pp10-11) See? The heart of the matter is always a matter of the heart! It is what we DO with money that is good or bad. I love how he teaches in the FPU class that, broke people cannot feed hungry children. If we want to help, we need the resources to do so.
Church, it is good to have wealth in this world, so that we can help this hurting world. Think about all the Saints in the Bible that God blessed financially. It is not evil to build wealth. It is evil to keep it all for ourselves. Greed is one of the most selfish vices of the fallen human heart. We are talking about being Christians, which means we believe AND follow Jesus, and He certainly is beyond generous. The truth is we cannot give what we do not have. So in a humble way, we need to be Super Savers, getting to the point where we have built up some wealth, so we can provide for ourselves and loved ones, but then also have plenty to share with those in need. And one of the most generous things we can do, is learn to implement these Baby Steps for ourselves, then teach others to do the same. I love that old saying, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Let’s be fed, so we can go feed others.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
<>< Peace, Diane
