Money, money, money…The OJays sang about it, reminding us us what people will do for the love of money-steal from their mother, rob from their brother, lie, cheat and don’t care who they hurt or beat, etc.

In Matthew, Jesus tells us that you can’t love money and God. He chided the religious leaders of his day, the Pharisees, and called them lovers of money in Luke 16:14. In 1 Timothy 6:10, we are warned that the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of  evil. And Hebrews 13:5 tells us to keep our lives free of the LOVE of money and be content with what we have.

So, how are you doing when it comes to loving money? My pastor challenged me this past Sunday by asking these 4 questions.

Take the short quiz: Answer YES or NO

1) I frequently find my mind drifting to something I want to buy.

2) I feel jealous over what other people have when I don’t have it.

3) I often complain about what I do not have rather than focus on what I do have.

4) It is really difficult to give up something I want in order to give to something that will further God’s kingdom.

If you answer YES to any of the four items, search your heart and priorities. The love of money, not money itself, can block our relationship with God. It can become an idol, something we regularly see in our celebrity culture and have to guard against.

Stay balanced in your view of money. James tells us that every good thing and perfect gift comes from God. Thus, we are to be good stewards of the good gifts that God brings our way and not allow money to capture our hearts.