Wealth: More than Money
by Christopher Hendrix
When Christians think about the word wealth, most of the time, images of money fill the mind. Being wealthy brings the picture of Benjamin Franklin’s filling the hot tub inside the 8,000 square foot mansion with a Lamborghini out front and a golf course out back. Oh, and don’t forget about the butler with the proper English accent. Wealth equates to the number of zeroes in the bank account. Dollars and cents measure wealth in our society. Cash and assets quantify the amount of wealth someone holds. But is this how Scripture describes wealth?
Listen to Pastor Chris teach on 2 Corinthians 9:6-9.
Money is a Part of Wealth
Now, we first must see that money does help measure wealth somewhat. Money does make up a part of understanding a person’s wealth. This is why, in 2 Corinthians 9:6–9, Paul speaks to the church at Corinth about giving cash to help the poor church in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem church found themselves in dire straits, and some of the wealth of the Corinthians would help alleviate the hard times of the Christians there. Paul called for giving to help in a disastrous situation, not for a welfare program. Christians should use our money to help other believers during natural disasters, economic depressions, or war and famine. The money we send to them comes from a portion of our wealth.
However, we don’t seek to create a system of constant dependency. One might ask, why not? Is it wrong to give our money every month to believers who are poor so they can live like many of us? Yes! Because we are robbing them of wealth. When we define wealth as only money, we struggle to see why that is not what Paul calls us to do. However, when we understand the biblical principle that wealth is more than money, we know our role in sharing wealth and money.
Wisdom as Wealth
Wealth is made up of more than cash through the biblical teaching of wisdom. The Bible speaks to wealth being made up of wisdom. Wisdom is better than cash, but it does lead to money. The total package of wisdom and money is wealth. For example, Proverbs 3:13–16 speaks to wisdom being greater than money. It’s certainly better to have wisdom and understanding than a million dollars. However, this Proverb isn’t pitting wisdom against money but simply aligning the priorities when understanding wealth. This is why verse 16 says, Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Wisdom doesn’t oppose money but produces it. Later, wisdom is personified in Proverbs 8:18, which says, Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. Notice what makes up wealth here, riches (money) and honor. Wisdom brings honor and cash.
Of course, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, according to Proverbs 9:10. The worship of the Lord and bowing our hearts to Him sets us on the path of wisdom, which then sets us on the path of producing money. The Christian’s priority isn’t to pursue money but to pursue the Triune God. Reversing this is equal to idolatry. A biblical view of wealth begins with the worship and adoration of God, which then informs our wisdom and leads to us receiving from the Lord.
Christians Help with Cash and God Rewards with Wealth
In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul alludes to wealth being more than money. Verse 8 says that God will make all grace abound to us who gives for all sufficiency in all things at all times for every good work. Paul’s choice of repetition with all/every highlights the fact that wealth is more than money. We give a portion of our wealth, cash, God gives back not just cash, but wealth. Grace here is defined as the things needed to do every good work. These good works aren’t simply random acts of kindness. Sometimes, we interpret them as one-off situations to help someone with a few bucks. These instances certainly are included in good works, but not the total sum. Titus 3:8 tells us that we ought to be devoted to good works. The word dedicated communicates the idea of carefully maintaining what’s good. What’s good? Working (Ps. 128:2), providing for family (1 Tim. 5:8), the community (Ex. 23:10–11), etc. So then, having all sufficiency for all good works isn’t limited to some extra dollars to spare someone a sandwich if they can’t afford it, but it’s so much more!
How do we understand this practically? When Christians help alleviate some immediate needs of believers, God grows us in Him, in wisdom, in our vocations, and enriches our lives. Again, we do not understand biblical wealth if we limit God’s blessing to money. This enrichment means we engage in our vocations with greater godly wisdom and insight. As a soldier, you find the purpose of soldiering for the Lord’s glory. You work hard and surpass the unbelievers around you. As a construction worker, you build with a concern for quality and a desire to build something that will outlast you. As a business owner, you aim to thrive not for the sake of becoming a Fortune 500 company but to provide for families and others in the community. As a mom, you change diapers, wipe dirty faces, and rinse and repeat because you’re caring and nurturing human souls that are invaluable to their Creator. You’re building up the next generation of men and women who sacrifice themselves as they witness their mother sacrifice her best years. As a father, you work and provide for the family, work long hours to meet their needs and give of your body so that they can grow and have nourished bodies. All these things and the millions of other seemingly mundane tasks are the good works we are called to be devoted to.
And when we give to other believers of our cash, we have the sufficiency to engage in all these good works in our lives. We have the strength to continue pressing on. We have the encouragement to endure the thorns and thistles. We have the motivation to continue glorifying the Lord. We also find ourselves having the cash or resources to start up Christian businesses, building companies with Christ-centered values, employing more people, being given desires by God for certain vocations, and much more. This is the total picture of wealth. Wisdom undergirds our ventures and goals. God informs the wisdom as we seek to better society, care for our families, support one another through work, and live holy lives. Wealth is so much more than money.