How Much Money Should a Christian Have?

Error #1: Looking to wealth for your happiness
Unfortunately, many Christians have not listened to the warnings of Jesus. They have built their lives around the accumulation of wealth. This is particularly a problem for Christians who come from wealthier parts of the world. Our society values wealth, and, sadly, many Christians live like money is the ultimate goal for life. But Jesus has some strong warnings for those who love money.

Matthew 19:23-24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

A Christian who finds all their hope in wealth is misguided, in sin, and straying from God’s best for their life. But there is another error that Christians make.

Error #2: Believing that poverty equals holiness
As a way to react against American culture and its excesses, some Christians make it sound like those who have less are by definition more holy or more mature Christians. If you think this way, you will soon look down on Christians who have more than you do because (according to you) they aren’t as spiritual or generous as you are.

But the Bible doesn’t tell us to pursue poverty as the ultimate goal for our lives. In fact, several of the heroes of the faith were wealthy people.

Genesis 13:2 Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.

Abraham is the great example of faith in the Old Testament. He is the father of the people of faith. And Abraham was rich. In fact, Abraham and his nephew had so much stuff that they had to separate because there wasn’t room for both of them.

Now, let’s not misunderstand this, the Bible makes it clear that it is better to be poor and fear the Lord than to be rich and refuse to trust in him. However, poverty isn’t the end goal of the Christian life.

So, how much money should a Christian have?

Neither poverty nor riches
Well, there isn’t a simple answer to the question, but a good verse to help us think through this question is Proverbs 30:7-9.

Proverbs 30:7-9 O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
8 First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

The writer makes two requests. Help me to tell the truth, and give me neither poverty nor riches. Look at his rationale. Money will cause him to forget God, and poverty will turn him to a life of crime. I think all of us could learn by praying something similar: God, please provide for my family, but help me to remain dependent on you.

God may give you a life of wealth. Thank him for it and use it for his glory. And if you are wealth, pay attention to Jesus’ warnings. Take them seriously. But God may give you a life of poverty. If that’s you trust God to provide for your needs. Work to improve your situation in life, but don’t think that a low social standing equals holiness.

And all of us might have a better perspective if we asked that God give us neither poverty nor riches.