Questions About Wealth & Money

Questions About Wealth and Money

c. 2006 By Lesley Barker
How are we to differentiate between money, the love of which is the root of all evil, and wealth, that is a blessing from the Lord? What implications does the Biblical understandings of these two words have for how believers should conduct themselves in business and investments? Should we be going after money? Should we work for money?
Many prophetic voices over the last few decades have indicated that in these last days God will effect the transference of the wealth of this world into the Kingdom of His Son so that the necessary resources for evangelism will be available. I have felt that God has called me to participate in accomplishing this transfer. To that end, I have become trained as a grant-writer and I have made myself available to start-up Christian ministries as they plan and seek provision to do the tasks that God is entrusting them to do.
One of the most distressing trends that I have witnessed over the past ten years is that many Christians and ministries operate out of an entitlement mentality that presumes that God will provide whatever they can envision whether or not they invest the necessary preparations or provide the accountability measurements that will be needed for them to obtain and steward the funds. Not only that, most of the ministries that have talked with me about the grant-seeking process do not think that they should have to pay for my services even though I have spent 30+ years gaining the skills, experience, and tools to help them. When I set my fees at less then half the industry standard, Christians recoil in shock at the price. Then, if they agree to contract with me to prepare grant applications, without exception, these praying, sacrificial servants of God who know that He has called them to ministry, have failed to meet deadlines, produce necessary documents, and resist engaging with the established process that would result in success. Usually the conclusion is that looking for grants is not the way that God will use to fund their endeavors.
However, foundations that give grants are examples of how wealth works and continues to grow. Not only that, they are bound by law to give away a percentage of their assets annually in exchange for tax breaks. It is a measure of their good stewardship that they put parameters around the giving decisions.
I find myself challenged by a single verse that suggests that working for money is not how God would have us to function. Of course, work is necessary and is connected to the right to eat. Paul wrote of laboring with all the force of Christ for salvation to occur. However, I believe that if we are to obtain and steward what we have been promised, this paraphrased verse shows the pre-requisite underlying attitudes. Let my work be produced by faith; Let my labor be prompted by love; Let my endurance be inspired by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. See 1 Thessalonians 1:3. I believe that, in general, believers do not understand the economics of the Kingdom of God. Even the standard preaching about Kingdom principals emphasizes money. So often the only economics preached in churches requires tithing because of the payback promised in kind. I wonder whether, especially for Western Christians, whether we have missed the main point. We are not of this world and our treasure is not here either. However, there is a wealth promised that most of us don’t grasp or understand.

Two Word Studies
I decided to do a word study to compare and contrast the Biblical uses of “money” and “wealth” using Strong’s Concordance of the King James Version. What I discovered shocks me and makes me want to tremble at the upside-down way that most believers view the subject.

Money
My first sense is that money is something that a person spends. Of course, it can be used to invest and to grow, but our earthly economy translates everything into a monetary value. How does the Bible use the word, “money”, and what are the meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words translated “money”?

General Concepts
-Money buys: people, souls, land, livestock, food, water, vineyards, houses, clothing, atonement, and redemption.
-Money is one of the spoils of war.
-Money fails in Egypt (Genesis 47:15)
-How a person handles money illustrates their character. (2 Kings 5:26, Job 31:39 etc)
-Money wields power. (Ecclesiastes 7:12, 10:19)
-The love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)

Words that can be translated “money”
-Hebrew #3701- kehef= silver. This word comes from the primary root #3700, kawsaf, which means “to become pale, to pine after, to fear, desire, be greedy, long for, be sore.
-Greek #694- argurion= silver piece, cash
-Greek #5475- chalkos= copper, brass, money. This word comes from #5465, chalao, which means “to lower down into a void, let down, strike.” The concordance notes that the word for copper comes from this root because the metal is “hollowed out” when used to make vessels.

Related words
-Greek #5365- philarguria = avarice. This word comes from the word philarguros which is the same as covetous. It means the love of money.

Reflection on the meaning of money
When I don’t think I have sufficient money available to me, I act like the root word for money. I get pale, feel fearful, operate out of greed, and get depressed. Not only that, many times I find myself depleted of money. It is as if I put my bucket down into a well only to find that it is not only empty, but bottomless, a disappointment and a waste of my effort.
No wonder Isaiah’s words shout out the unbelievable promise and invitation to come and buy wine and honey without money. There is a Kingdom economy that does not run on a monetary basis. If our role is to co-exist on earth and in heaven and to call forth what is being revealed in heaven to occur on earth, then we must learn how to tap into the heavenly treasuries and transfer them into earthly commodities- but not ones that will bring fear, depression, pain, or greed.

Wealth
My first sense about wealth is that it increases and that when there is wealth, there is no lack.

General Concepts
-Wealth is portable. When Jacob returned to the land of Israel, he took his wealth along with his wives, children, and livestock.
-True wealth cannot be attained outside of the power of God. (Deuteronomy 8:17, 18)
-God gives wealth. (1 Samuel 2:38, Ecclesiastes 5:19, 6:2)- #5233
-Some of God’s people are described as “mighty men of wealth”. (Ruth 2:1, 2 Kings 15:20)
-Wealth is not the same as riches. (2 Chronicles 1:11-12)
-Wealth brings rejoicing.
-Wealth is not to be construed as the protection/provider, roles retained by God. (Psalm 49:6, 10)

There is a false wealth
-Wealth can be obtained through vanity. (Proverbs 10:15- #1952)
-There is a “wealth of the heathen”. #2428
-Wealth can be gained through devotion to idols. #2142.

Wealthy
-God brought us out into a wealthy place. (Psalm 66:12 - #7310)
-He calls us to go “unto the wealthy nation.” (Jeremiah 49:31- #7961)

Words that can be translated “wealth” and “wealthy”
-Hebrew #2428- khahyil= a force (whether of men, means, or other resources), an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength. It comes from a primary root #2342 , chuwl or chiyl, which means to twist, whirl, dance, writhe in birth pangs, to wait, to prevent, to bring forth, to make to calve, to drive away, to fall grievously in pain, to fear, form, grieve, hope, look, rest, shake, tremble, trust, wait carefully, be wounded.
-Hebrew #5233-nehkes=to accumulate, treasure, riches, wealth. It comes from an unused Chaldean root word for “goods.”
-Hebrew #1952- hoon= a primary root word that means to be naught, to be ready, wealth, enough
-Hebrew #2142 – zawkar= a primary root word that means to mark, remember or mention
-Hebrew #7301- revawyar = satisfaction, runneth over, wealthy. It comes from #7301 – rawvaw- a primary root word that means to slake the thirst, bathe, make drunk, satiate, soak, water abundantly
-Hebrew #7961 – shawlave = tranquil, security, being at ease, peaceable, in prosperity, quietness, wealthy. It comes from the primary root, #7951- shawlaw- which means to be tranquil, secure, successful, happy, prosperous, in safety.

Reflection on the meaning of wealth
I am amazed by the first meaning of the most commonly translated word for wealth. It is a FORCE. Like light and love are forces. Its meaning contains vigorous wavelike, circular motion with overtones of passion, violence, joy. Engaging the force is like riding a wave. Like a woman before the labor pangs begin, it requires a poised waiting and then an abandonment to the overwhelming up and down pain and promise of a living, active pro-creation. Engaging this force, letting it flow, joining the dance means that there has been a looking forward, a patient, careful waiting for just the right time to move in, and a trust that the One with whom we dance will not let us fall. He will not drop us. Though our flesh may shake and tremble after the dance, climax, birthing is finished, we will find our trembling release to be a perfect rest. When this force is wielded against another, I think, then the more negative results follow. The enemy is prevented, driven away, thrown down in grievous pain and fear, and wounded terribly. Like when David twirled the sling to release the stone that would fell Goliath, when this force is our weapon, we will not fear. The place we will end up possessing is secure, peaceful, successful, happy, prosperous and safe.
But, I find that there is a false wealth. This counterfeit can be obtained through vanity and devotion to idols. It is the “wealth of the heathen.” It looks like it is enough. It is a mark, and an identity. It appears to be always ready but really, it is “naught”. Nothing. The word comes from an unused Chaldean root word for riches. I wonder if it is the snare that captured Achan at Ai and caused his death and the defeat of his people.

Implications
I am reconsidering the terms for which I work for people. It is one thing to produce work for sale. I believe that that is good stewardship and that God will bring the increase. I believe it is appropriate to invest the money that I have to empower other believers and to bring provision to them. It is another thing to sell myself, my time, and my abilities. Perhaps the Godly approach will be for me to offer to help start-up ministries in organizing, planning, grant-writing, and other promotional services if I feel that God is calling me to participate in their work. Perhaps I should no longer charge for my services. However, I believe that “the laborer is worthy of his hire” and that it is important to challenge the ministries to ask God to show them how to compensate me for my time, training, and abilities. Let God show what is right.