How the Love of Money Corrupts

Living paycheck to paycheck. Counting the days until the next amount of money is received. Budgeting for meals, utility bills, housing, insurance, and more, can cause stress and worry at times. How do we use the funds that God provides? Do we give thanks for the provisions He gives?

As a teenager, I was excited to complete the paperwork and receive the news that I had been hired at a local restaurant. Two weeks into my new job, I was “let go” because the minimum age for hiring was fifteen years old. I was fourteen at the time. Disappointment and embarrassment rose while I explained to my family and friends that I was no longer employed.

The job boosted my low self-esteem. Even though I wasn’t at fault and the manager should have checked the age requirements before hiring me, I knew I would miss having a paycheck.

My time at the restaurant was two weeks. During that period, I filled ice buckets, prepared soft drinks for customers, wiped counters, learned how to work the cash register, and greeted customers with a smile and a hello as they entered the building.

Employment was important. My first job. My parents were proud of me for wanting to work and earn a paycheck. I had not asked the person who hired me about the amount I would earn.

After those two weeks of working and then, being “let go,” I received a call from the manager. There was a paycheck with my name on it. My mother drove me to the place and waited in the parking lot.

Inside the restaurant, I spoke with the employees and the manager. The man handed an envelope to me and apologized for the mistake in hiring. A polite chat continued until I left to go to the bank and cash my first paycheck.

My parents had always shown the importance of saving money. From coins saved in a glass jar to a savings account at the bank, having saved funds was vital. Perhaps their childhood era and experiences caused them to be frugal. This was a lesson to be learned and implemented.

Holding my first paycheck, I couldn’t wait to cash it and spend it on frivolous stuff like magazines and trendy t-shirts. The amount was only $15.00 so my choices needed to be made in the best way.

Trouble came when I didn’t follow the example of my parents. The small amount of money I earned was soon depleted when I spent instead of saving. The choices I made did not reflect the teachings of my parents. Money corrupted my mind at an early age. The paycheck was gone and I didn’t have another job.

How can the love of money corrupt? God calls us to share with others. What if our funds are depleted or the paycheck doesn’t come? How do we feel about giving when we don’t have much to give?

Maybe you have heard of someone donating funds to charity or giving money to family, friends, or strangers when the giver didn’t have much to share. Yet, God provided. The person giving money was surprised when funds were replenished in various ways.

Stories of paying it forward in the coffee shop line, or a person donating money and finding that exact amount being refunded to them, are examples of how letting go of money can help us to receive blessings in other ways. Have you ever received an unexpected refund check in the mail or your checking account?

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38 NIV).

What about those in positions of authority? Or those religious leaders who have fallen due to the love of money? Some people who once held high positions have chosen money over God.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV).

The love of money can lead to sinful ways. When money takes control of life, God is pushed away. As children of God, we are called to always put God first. Nothing should take priority over God.

God provides and we are called to be good stewards of what He gives. Using money for corrupt and evil things is not how God wants us to live. The Father wants us to care for each other and show His love to all.

How do you view money? Is it something that brings worry or is money a way to bring glory to God? Do you tithe? The way we handle the money given to us can show where we place God in life.

In His Name,

Melissa Henderson