Money Wise Pastor

Career, life, and money wisdom from a pastor's perspective

Bible and Money: Hebrews 13:5 – Keep Free from the Love of Money

| By Rich | |

Each week I write on what the Bible says about money. This week’s Bible and money scripture is Hebrews 13:5…

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” – Hebrews 13:5

The Bible and Money: Hebrews 13:5

What the Bible Says About MoneyHere in Hebrews chapter 13, the author is giving many words of exhortation, or instruction, to his readers.

In the earlier verses, he instructed them in brotherly love, showing hospitality, caring for people in prison, and honoring your marriage commitments. Now in verse 5, he encourages them trust in God, not money.

I’ve traveled to Zambia (twice), Zimbabwe, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, South Africa, Cambodia, and India (twice).  Each time I visit a foreign land, or a Native American reservation here in the U.S., I’m reminded of what it means to live by faith and trust God to meet needs.

I have never worried about when my next meal will be, but many people around the world do.  I’ve never worried about where I’m going to sleep, or what I’m going to wear. Well, OK, I have worried about what I’m going to wear, but that’s because I have too many options – while many others have no options.

For those of us who are pretty self-reliant and able to take care of our own financial needs, we can become lulled into trusting in our bank account and forgetting that it is God who has put the money there.

Hebrews 13:5 reminds us that God is the one who provides and meets our needs.  Yes, we may earn an income because of work we do, but it is God who gave us the skills, the opportunity, and ultimately, the money.

And because God provides for our needs, we should be content with what He’s given us. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have a desire for some better things. But I think it means we should always maintain a posture of gratitude, and never begrudge what we’ve been given.

Reading this verse from Hebrews reminds me of the Hebrew people, who ended up wandering in the desert for 40 years for one reason:  They grumbled and complained. 

God was with them. He was meeting their needs on a daily basis. But it was never good enough for them. They rejected God’s provision.  And He saw fit to teach them a little lesson.

I pray that I’ll always be grateful, and never need to learn a lesson like that. What about you?

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About the author

Rich Rich writes on money and personal growth from a pastor's perspective here at Money Wise Pastor. He loves In-N-Out Burger (and has the t-shirts to prove it), big cities, international travel, running marathons, and helping others create more freedom, purpose, and fulfillment in their life and work. Find him on Twitter and Facebook.