Getting Money the Right Way

Chuckle: Two girls were working with a coat hanger to unlock a Mercedes. Soon one girl said, "Hurry up! It's starting to rain, and the top is down!"

Quote: "If you want to feel rich, just count up all the things you have that money cannot buy." -- Daniel Webster

"Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty"  (James 5:4 NIV).

God cares about every aspect of your life, including how you get money. Through James, He talks about farmers who hired some poor workers to harvest their fields, and then refused to pay the laborers for their work. The poor had no power to collect their wages -- no recourse. James says: "The cries of those you have cheated have reached the ears of God."

If you get money in a dishonest or unethical way, perhaps no one will hold you accountable here on earth, but there's One who knows all about it and you will answer to Him. "You will always reap what you sow" (Galatians 6:7b NLT). How do you and I measure up to God's standard in this area?

If you do not give a full days work for a full days wage, you are cheating your employer. If you are an employer and do not pay a full days wage for a days work, you are cheating your employee. Either way, you are cheating yourself and you are cheating God. An all too common practice is to call in sick to avoid going to work. They aren't really sick, they just want a day off. That's cheating and it's wrong.

If a dad receives a call from his boss and his little son answers the phone, and the dad tells the boy to tell his boss that he is not at home, that's lying. What are we teaching our children by such examples? Christians should always be counted on to be honest and ethical in all situations. Our integrity should never be called into question. You may ask, "how much can I work and earn and still please God? Work and earn as much as you want:

(1) As long as you don't damage your health. Proverbs 33:4 says "Don't wear yourselves out to get rich - have the wisdom to show restraint." Be careful not to abuse your body.

(2) As long as you don't hurt your family. Some are workaholics - sold out to their work at the expense of their families. This is an issue I have dealt with personally. It's far better to have a child say, "My dad/mom loved me and spent time with me" rather than, "My dad/mom made a lot of money."

(3) As long as it doesn't hurt other people. God says we should never victimize others in our quest for riches. We should be fair, kind, and considerate of our subordinates and coworkers at all times.

(4) As long as you are pleasing God. If you have reason to question whether a practice is right or wrong, it's probably wrong. Our consciences, if properly trained by Bible study and prayer, will alert us to practices which do not please God. Our primary goal should always be to honor God in every thing we do.

Love, Jerry & Dotse