Articles
More of Who You Are
I highly recommend reading and listening to Dave Ramsey’s material. In his books and radio program, he takes a Biblical approach to finances that’ll help you glorify God with your wallet. In a recent podcast, he made a profound statement: “Money only makes you more of who you are.” Sadly some, in the process of getting their finances in order, become obsessed with making more money. They think, “If I only had more money, all my problems would melt away, and I’d be a much better person.” Dave does a great job showing people that money doesn’t solve problems; a change in character does. The point of following his plan is not to amass wealth; it’s to radically change our attitude toward money. The apostle Paul wrote, “The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
When Dave says, “Money only makes you more of who you are,” he means money only solidifies the character you have now. If you’re a fool now, you’ll only be a richer fool when you make more money. “Luxury is not fitting for a fool.” (Proverbs 19:10a). If you’re stingy and selfish now, you’ll only be stingier and more selfish when you get rich. People believe money will somehow magically transform their character and they’ll become philanthropists overnight. The Macedonians didn’t wait until they had money to be kind and generous. “In a great deal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.” (2 Cor. 8:3). They were generous even in deep poverty! God says we can demonstrate our character with even the smallest resources. Remember the parable of the talents? When the two faithful servants did what they could with what they had, Jesus gave them more. For the one who didn’t use the resources he had, even those were taken from him. “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” (Matt. 25:29).
The master didn’t give the unfaithful servant more money because he didn’t use the money he already had to do his will. If the master gave him more talents, that wouldn’t change the servants character. The servant would only waste even more of his master’s money. Let’s never buy into “if only” Christianity, especially regarding material possessions. “If only I had more money, I could be generous.” “If only I had a bigger house, I could be hospitable.” “If only I had a nicer car, bigger TV, better education, if only, if only —” Stop. More stuff won’t change us. Only Jesus Christ changes us, then we use whatever stuff He gives us, big or small, to His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).
