“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16
“The idea of being salt and light says that God wants me to be different from, not better than, others in the world. The Christian, therefore, may or may not have more than his neighbor, but that does not distinguish him. What does distinguish the Christian from the world is the absence of his anxiety, which might have come as a result of the loss of something he has managed or even God’s denial of something He wants. Why? Because the Christian’s treasure is not on earth. The world and its temporal toys do not possess him.
He is prayerful. He plans. But he is not the least bit anxious about the uncertainty facing our national and world economy. He understands Christ’s promises of abundance do not mean financial security but peace and knowledge of Christ. He is content with all that he has been given. Such an attitude is not “normal” but rather “different,” and its comes from having an entirely different perspective. The Christian’s perspective is eternal, the attitude is one of holding possessions lightly, and the lifestyle is free from worry and anxiety. Truly that is different!”
Ron Blue and Michael Blue in Master Your Money: A Step-by-Step Plan for Experiencing Financial Contentment (Chicago: Moody, 2016) 20.
What a privilege to attend the university track of the Kingdom Advisors Conference representing Colorado Christian University and to get to room with my brother, David, who represents Warner University. It’s a double blessing, though time here is short as I return to Denver tonight.
Both Ron and Michael Blue are here. I will share a few copies of my Faith and Finances course which uses Master Your Money as one of the texts, so it is fitting to quote from it. As our focus for Lent is on prayer this week, today’s post reminds us to be both prayerful and different.
By prayerful, our posture reflects dependence on God, trust in His provision, and confidence in Christ’s promises of abundance and peace. By different, we live for the eternal with no fear of the national or world economy because we are content in Christ.
What does the intersection of prayer and money look like in your life? Do you look prayerful and different? As a Lenten discipline, every time you think about, spend, or manage money this week, consider taking an equal amount of time praying. See what happens in your mind and heart.