Money and Stuff: Introduction

I’ve been having big struggles with money and with my attitude towards money for the past year. The situation and my decision making is all a bit complicated, so I won’t go into it. Suffice to say that, whether for noble or foolish reasons, I haven’t had quite enough money to live on - to live in (middle class) Australian culture that is. If I lived the way I do in most places in the world, I’d be considered very rich.

I’m sorry to say that, while I have some understanding of what a godly response to this situation should be, I've not reacted that way. My reaction has been one of regular moments of awful fear and stress and acute bitterness, envy, covetousness and discontentment. But I thank God that he hasn’t just left me to wallow in ugliness, but has enabled me to keep desiring to be better and to keep fighting.

One thing that has really helped me has been to look at what God has to say in some depth, thanks to the book Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions by Craig L. Blomberg (Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1999). I have learned four main things – money isn’t everything; be content with enough; be generous with your surplus and don’t be greedy. I’m going to spend one post addressing each.

I'd also really appreciate your prayers as I keep on battling with this stuff. When something is taken from you, you learn the true measure of your attachment to it. I think greed is a big problem for Christians in rich countries, but we don't always realise it. So please let me know if I can pray for you too.