The Daily Guide-The Daily Devotional grow. pray. study. at The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 11 November 2015 - “Free from the love of money”

The Daily Guide-The Daily Devotional grow. pray. study. at The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 11 November 2015 - “Free from the love of money”

Daily Scripture: Proverbs 13:

4 The lazy person wants but doesn’t have;

    the diligent get their desires filled.

11 Wealth gotten by worthless means dwindles away,

    but he who amasses it by hard work will increase it.

16:

8 Better a little with righteousness

    than a huge income with injustice.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, “I will never fail you or abandon you.”[Hebrews 13:5 Deuteronomy 31:6] 6 Therefore, we say with confidence,

“Adonai is my helper; I will not be afraid —

what can a human being do to me?”[Hebrews 13:6 Psalm 118:6]

Reflection Questions:

Scholar John Walton saw this theme in the Hebrew wisdom of Proverbs: “While wealth is considered a good thing and even a gift of Yahweh when acquired honestly, it is not the most important thing by far. If a decision must be made between wealth and a right relationship with Yahweh or with love or peace, the latter are far better.” Hebrews echoed that view—life may bring us much money, or not so much, but in either case contentment is possible and highly desirable.

• Proverbs noted that, as a general rule, steadily working toward financial goals is wiser than chasing “get rich quick” schemes. Have you ever worked steadily toward a goal, and felt the inner satisfaction when your disciplined pursuit paid off? On the other hand, have you ever had a financial windfall, and then regretted impulsively “blowing it”?
• Reflecting on Hebrews 13, scholar N. T. Wright wrote a helpful rule of thumb: “When you love something or someone, you make sacrifices for them. When you find yourself making a sacrifice of something else in your life, simply so that you can follow where money is beckoning you, regard that as a danger signal.” What relationships, activities or values would you never choose to sacrifice just to pursue more money?

Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, however much money I do or do not currently have, help me to look at it with clear eyes. Help me to see money as a tool to serve my higher values, not as the highest value itself. Amen.
---------------------Insights from Rev. Steven Blair

Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care Pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforward
I saw a commercial recently for a company that was offering a “Buy one suit and get three suits free” deal. When the commercial started, I knew that I didn’t need a new suit, but by the time the commercial was over I began picturing myself in four new suits. I remembered hearing a saying that there are two ways to be happy with money: to have what you want or to want what you have.
Pursuing money and what it can bring us can become exhausting. The stress can lead us to being irritable to the people we love or being absent even when we are with them. Is it worth it?
Hebrews 13:5 ends with these words “…because God has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” We can be content with what we have because God will take care of us.
Enjoy the contentment that comes with Faith in God.---------------------

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