Somehow, and at some point, the popular lie started that money is more valuable than time. People seem to believe that the more money you make, the more time you’ll have. That’s false. They also seem to believe that creating more money doesn’t come at the cost of a great amount of time—that there’s somehow a quick and magical way to make a ton of money. Also false. Wait, there are quick ways to make a ton of money, but they are a) illegal and b) highly unethical.

The question we have to ask is: what do we hope to achieve or do with the money we make and the time that we have? Are we meeting those goals with our current lifestyle?

For the Christ follower, it’s pretty clear. Our money, time, and purposes—even our very lives—come from Christ. Therefore we have a responsibility to devote all those things back to Him. (This responsibility is echoed throughout the entirety of the Biblical text—from Deuteronomy to James. If you need specific examples, write me a comment below). What that looks like and how it plays out is different for every person.

Let’s be crystal clear: there are no rules in the Christian faith about how much money or time is “enough”. Any religion that puts a dollar or time amount behind your service to God is, frankly, wrong; the reason being that it takes the focus off God and puts it on you. I.e. if you put in x hours or dollars, you’ll be free and clear to live your own life with good conscience. That’s a dangerous way to live—seeing God more like an insurance account than a supreme being. We ruin our lives when we take things into our own hands. I think rising suicide rates, debt increases, divorce numbers skyrocketing, terrorist threats, and general unhappiness in the American public are evidence enough of that.

God wants your entire life to be devoted to him because that is the only way you can live a fulfilled life. He proves that time and time again in the Bible and in our own lives.

My life is horrible when I walk away from God and do my own thing. I hurt people I love. I hurt myself. And I back-track any positive progress I managed to make in my faith and my personal goals. I’m betting that the same thing happens to you when you take the solo route.

So, together, let’s re-evaluate the way we are living. Does how we spend our money and our time reflect our faith in God and our ministry in the lives of others?

If your answer is ‘no’, I encourage you to pray this week about what God can do to change your goals— to make them more focused on Him. I guarantee you will see a profound difference in your family and ministry life.

Blessings on your journey,

Kalene