Can finances and faith tango?
Photograph by Micheile Henderson via Unsplash
Rev. Margaret Marcuson
My husband, Karl, once showed me a “best tangos in movies” video. I was astonished to see the grace of that complicated dance. We watched scenes from dance-related movies like “Shall We Dance,” with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. And even a tango from “Addams Family Values”! In all the scenes, the partners seamlessly move across the dance floor.
It’s not always like that when we try to put together faith and money. It feels like an uncomfortable partnership.
We mostly keep money and prayer apart at church. We do have the offering prayer in worship. And we may have a quick prayer before the finance committee. That’s about it. I once spoke about money at an event for pastors and lay leaders. One man came up to me afterward and said, “Our pastor doesn’t talk about money, and we don’t want him to.”
Some pastors are happy with that. They would rather stick with Bible study and preaching — not about money, except once a year. But it’s a disservice to our people. They have to deal with money every day. And the church gives them little help to connect their personal faith with their personal finances.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Money can be holy. The Bible doesn’t say “Money is the root of all evil.” It says, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10 KJV).
Money is holy when it is used for holy practices: to sustain life, to support ourselves and others, to support the work of ministry, to care for God’s creation.
Money is intended to flow. It becomes less holy when it stops flowing. Money, like love, is meant to be spread around. We can use money with love without loving it.
Money is intended to flow. It becomes less holy when it stops flowing. Money, like love, is meant to be spread around. We can use money with love without loving it.
I rode the bus regularly years ago when we only had one car. My husband was commuting and had the car 13 hours a day. I asked myself, “What would Jesus drive?” I decided Jesus would take the bus, too. Or be driven around in a Mercedes by one of his wealthy friends, like the women who supported his ministry. In fact, I had a friend with a Mercedes who would sometimes give me rides. She was sharing her resources with me at a time I really needed it. It was a blessed, if difficult, time.
I had a car of my own for years. Now we have one car again because my husband is retired. And many in my city will never own even one car. Some by choice (this is Portland, after all), and many because they cannot afford it. I always want to remember how wealthy I have always been by global standards.
Here are ways money has been holy in my life:
When I’ve been surprised by God’s provision when I didn’t think I had enough.
When I can take care of myself and my family.
When I can give it away to support work I believe in. I can do this through giving and through paying others for their work.
When I have the opportunity to be paid for work I’m called to.
When money has come in for ministries I lead. And when my own salary has been paid by the generous gifts of others.
If we think money has potential to be holy, we can be in a different relationship with it. We don’t have to be overwhelmed by fear and anxiety and greed and longing. I’ve felt all of these myself. Over time we can learn to appreciate the flow of money into and out of our lives with gratitude. We can allow more of it to flow outward to others, according to our resources.
For reflection: How has money been holy in your life?
Rev. Margaret Marcuson helps ministers get lighter and less burdened by their ministry so they can have more influence with less stress. She is the author of the forthcoming book Sustainable Ministry: How to Lead (and When to Nap).
The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
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