God & money

Yesterday morning I had spent over an hour making a budget for next year, figuring out how much money I have & may potentially have once my job wraps up, how much I need in loans, if I can decline any of the loans (looking like the answer is yes, Praise God!), etc, etc. For me, money can be a stressful thing.

Clint's mom said the other night, "money doesn't buy happiness but it does make things easier," which I think is true. It surely cannot buy happiness, though it can pay for things or experiences that can produce some happiness, and, well, it pays the bills. It's necessary, but is not life-giving.

Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

This verse became more personal to me than ever yesterday when I received my paycheck. Turns out they had paid me for the week I was on vacation on accident. The incorrect paycheck gave me over $300 for hours I did not work.

Could I have chalked it up as their mistake and pocketed the money? What if they realized their mistake and scolded me for not saying anything? As much as I would have liked to keep that money I knew I just couldn't, and I didn't.

I thought of the definition of integrity I've always heard - "who you are when no one's watching." I thought about my Christian Identity teacher who had a coach that told him when he was younger: "don't cheat on your sprints [at basketball practice]. Cheat on your sprints, you'll cheat on your taxes. Cheat on your taxes, you'll cheat on your wife." My parents would tell me "you're either honest or you're not; there's no shade of gray when it comes to honesty.

So I gave back the money. Thought, it wouldn't be worth it to jeopardize my character for a few hundred bucks. Felt like it was a test and thought, no, Satan, I'm not going to take your bribe. For 30 pieces of gold Judas turned his back on Jesus, I wasn't going to disappoint My Lord for $300.

I know it will take being faithful in the small things to be entrusted with bigger things for His kingdom. ['Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matthew 25:23]

Later that day I heard this refrain from a version of Amazing Grace I like - "My chains are gone, I've been set free." I don't feel money's grip on me to be nearly as tight today. Because I said no. Because I serve God, not money.

"He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." - Job 23:10

I didn't include that verse because that's how I think I am, but how I want to be and hope to be. I hope my actions honored God yesterday; what guided my decision was what would honor God in this situation?