If you’ve ever searched for Bible verses or scripture on money and finance, chances are you’ve come across an array of various perceptions. Some of them are right, but a lot of them are seriously wrong.
Do you know what are the most misused, misunderstood and abused Bible verses on money? If not, we put in the work and compiled the list of verses and a little bit of background on each. Money is a very polarizing topic of discussion; therefore, a lot of truth can be lost in the over analyzation and dissection.
Luke 12:34
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
You’ve probably heard this one quoted in reverse – your heart will be where the treasure is. Still, it basically has the incorrect understanding. Luke 12:34 is telling us, if we look at our own budgets and review the transactions we spend on a regular basis, then we can identify where our heart is. For example, do pay it forward to charities, are you tithing to your church home, or are you spending money on materialistic items for yourself? The writing is on the wall.
1 Timothy 6:10, NIV
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
You’ll find a lot of discussion on this scripture because many people often associate money with evil. However, our attitude toward money is usually the problem – and by that, I mean the physical money itself. If you’ve read the Bible, you know the impoverished and wealthy are considered to both be godly. Everyone can lose money. God has given His children the ability to carry out their work. Even though, everything is not always transparent, the path to money is defined by the individual. It is up to the individual to create a healthy relationship with money.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
This one is pretty clear, but oftentimes people view the verse as saying no one can worship God and be well off financially. However, Matthew 6:24 is saying you are serving God and not money. God will provide you with the necessary resources to generate money. But if you believe that you are serving God and money, you are wrong because you would not have the opportunities to make an income without God. Nonetheless, God should always be your priority – everything else will fall into place, if you put God before everything else.
Proverbs 23:4-5
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
When people incorrectly reference Proverbs 23:4-5, they generally state that no one can be wealthy in the long run. The verse is actually more of a warning to those who are willing to wear themselves out to be rich – which ultimately means the individual doesn’t have a healthy relationship with money. Get rich quick schemes never work and that is what the verse is actually saying. Hard work is rewarded, and it cannot be cheated. Quick money usually goes as quick as it came in. There are actual statistics to back this.
Did you know a lottery winner is more likely to declare bankruptcy within three to five years than the average American? Data proves that one in three lottery winners go broke.
Psalm 62:10
“…if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”
This verse is usually seen as no one can depend on money. This is not true. Psalm 62:10 is saying, money alone cannot solve problems; however, if you have a mature relationship with money and a faithful relationship with God then anything is possible. Christians can invest their hearts on their riches, if they are doing Godly things with their wealth. For example, if someone is building their wealth while investing in others, so they too can reach their potential and serve, then they are a righteous in their actions.
Jobs 36:11
“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.”
This one seems self-explanatory, but people frequently misunderstand the meaning of prosperity and contentment. When people hear the words prosperity, they often associate that with an abundance of money. However, prosperity doesn’t always translate to wealth in terms of dollar signs. Prosperity can mean that an individual or their family are healthy and thriving as human beings – you do not need to be rich to have a prosperous life. Furthermore, contentment doesn’t mean you’re so rich that you are content. Instead, contentment is being happy with the life you have because God has provided you with what you need.
Instead of blaming God for what you don’t have, society must assess what they do have and exercise gratitude. God gives us all the tools, but it is up to His children to create the plan of action.
Proverbs 13:11
“Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.”
Proverbs 13:11 is usually taken out of context without even being referenced. People judge others before they know the entire story. If someone has a big house, drives a nice vehicle, or dresses in named brand apparel the general public casts unfair judgement. In most cases, they do not know how that individual came into their wealth or if that person even actually has stable finances; however, opinions are derived.
It’s important to forfeit the right to judge others and stay humble. It can be challenging, and we are all human beings guilty of sin, but it is crucial to put ourselves in constant check.
There are a ton of other verses consistently misrepresented. As Christians, it is important to be mindful of the scripture being recited and reviewed. Always be willing to invest the time and energy into finding out the real answers.
