Gospel Today Magazine
January / February 2008

Just because a phrase has become popular, doesn’t mean it’s true. And a myth that’s been repeated for years, could be the biggest lie ever told. Satan is a master deceiver and he loves to promote a steady stream of half-truths and distortions about money to keep us confused and broke. As usual, God has an antidote for every lie the Devil has ever spoken.

I found 8 myths and old sayings that could keep you in the poor house.

Myth #1: “Money is the root of all evil”
Truth: You may have heard your grandmamma say that while you were growing up, but it ain’t true!  Pick up your bible and read I Timothy 6:10 which states that, “the love of money is the root of all evil,” not money itself.  Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say that money is bad, but He’s got plenty to say about the misuse of it (and the people who misuse it).  Money is an object that can be used for either good or evil - in the hands of the righteous, money can serve righteous purposes; in the hands of the unrighteous, money can serve unrighteous purposes.  If you think money is evil then you will continually struggle with being broke. Instead adopt a new philosophy: money makes a terrible master, but it makes a good servant for those who serve God. 

Myth #2: “Financial Prosperity is a sign of God’s approval.”
Truth: Financial prosperity is not always a sign of God’s approval.  You and I both know people who go against God’s will (thieves, drug dealers, adulterers) and still make plenty of money. It’s a mistake to measure God’s approval by the amount of “stuff” you or your neighbor has. If God “blessed” you with a BMW or a big house, be thankful, but don’t get full of yourself and think it means you’re more special than the brother or sister cruisin’ in a Pinto. 

Yes, there are instances when God rewards obedience. It’s been happening since biblical times when God gave material wealth to Abraham (Genesis 13:1-7), Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14), Jacob (Genesis 30:43), Joseph (Genesis 39:2-6), Solomon (1 Kings 3:13), and Job (Job 42:10-17).  However, if you are struggling financially, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doing something wrong, and it certainly doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love you. Remember Job’s “comforters” thought there must be hidden sin in his life to account for his loss of prosperity, but they were wrong.  God approved of Job (Job 1:8; 42:7), yet he permitted Satan to destroy everything of earthly value that Job possessed. 

Myth #3: “Money changes people”
Truth: Money is an inanimate object; it doesn’t have the power to change a human being. Oh sure, money may change the way we live – shopping at Neiman Marcus instead of Kmart – or where we live – a custom-built mansion in the ‘burbs beats a one-bedroom apartment. But money can’t change who you are, it only magnifies what’s in your heart.

I’ve seen men who began living out their wildest fantasies once they became multi-millionaires. They dreamed of having any woman and as many women as possible and used their new-found wealth to make it happen.  But here’s the question: did the money cause their adultery, or did money magnify what was already in their hearts?  I believe it was the latter.  These men could have chosen to spend the money by taking their wives on a second honeymoon if that’s what their hearts desired. The same is true throughout scripture where you’ll see an intimate correlation between the development of a person’s character and how he or she handles money.

Myth #4: “Poverty is a sign of spirituality”
Truth: Poverty is no more a sign of spirituality than wealth.  God cares deeply for the poor, but this is out of His compassion – not their merit.  Being broke does not make you a virtuous person. Your ability to serve God and the way you treat others are true signs of spirituality.

Myth #5: If I want to truly serve God, I shouldn’t concern myself with money. After all, “Jesus told a rich young ruler to sell his possessions and give his money away (Luke 18:18-22). 
Truth: If you plan on living indoors and eating daily, then you’re gonna need some money. Don’t confuse being concerned with being obsessed. Money is not the most important thing in life, but money affects everything that is important in our lives.  Jesus’ command to the rich young ruler was an individual prescription set forth to heal the young man’s heart. It was not a universal plan for poverty.

Myth #6: “I’ll start tithing when I make more money.”
Truth: Stop lying (to yourself and to God).  In Luke 16:10 it states, “If you are faithful with the little you have, then you’ll be faithful with much…”  Research shows that the more money a person makes, the less likely he or she is to tithe. So if you’re not kicking in your 10% now, chances are you won’t do it later.  As a matter of fact, the so-called “po folk” with incomes of less than $25,000 give more (on a percentage basis) than those who earn over $100,000! It is very difficult to tithe when you are making lots of money, if you haven’t learned how to tithe on a much lesser amount.

Myth #7: “Once I give my tithes, God will meet all of my needs, regardless of what I do with the rest of my money.”
Truth: Don’t bank on it.  If you obey God with your tithe, but disobey him with the remaining ninety-percent, you should not expect your financial life to be blessed. Every dime you earn belongs to God and He expects you to be a good steward of the entire amount, not just 10 percent. 

Myth #8: “I need to drive a nice car, live in a big house, and wear designer clothes so I can show people how much God is blessing me and how good He is!”
Truth: You’re not doing God any favors by showing off your material possessions. He would much rather you show off your godliness (not your BMW) if you want all men to know that you are Jesus’ disciple.  Jesus said that it would be our love toward one another, not our fabulous material possessions, that will exemplify our Christ-likeness (John 13:35).

Eight simple myths can cause a whole lot of trouble. So can listening to people who don’t know God. For spiritual wealth, kick the Devil and his lies to the curb and holdfast to the truth in God’s word.