Today’s note explores pitfalls of connecting your spirituality to money and how to avoid getting stuck in a mental rut.
When the subject of spirituality and money arises, people tense up. It’s not entirely surprising, especially given the history of money and faith. I find that most people anticipate conversations about money and faith to fall into one of two “camps,” or extreme viewpoints:
The “Vow of Poverty” Camp
The “Hyper Prosperity” Camp
In the “Vow of Poverty” perspective, those who have less possessions are viewed as more spiritual. Financially prudent decisions like saving and investing are viewed as luxuries, or worse, as a lack of faith. I understand how people arrive at this conclusion, because it’s often in times of financial need that God finally has our attention. The Bible really doesn’t justify this perspective. Why did God make Abraham “very rich?” (Genesis 13:2).
The “Hyper Prosperity” Camp is also its own breed. In this worldview, God is viewed like Santa Claus or a s…
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