Money has a way of reaching places in our lives that few other things do. It touches our fears, desires, relationships, priorities, and sense of security.
That may be why Jesus spoke so often about money and possessions. In Matthew 6:21, He says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus understood something we often miss: money issues are often heart issues. Our financial choices can reveal what we trust, what we desire, and ultimately what we treasure.
Materialism Is a Heart Problem
Years ago, Ron Blue once shared a story from his time in Kenya that profoundly shaped the way I think about stewardship.
Ron was sitting on a hillside with a local pastor, looking out over the village where the man lived. Ron asked him what he thought was a practical question: “What’s the greatest barrier to the spread of the gospel here?”
Ron expected to hear about a lack of money, transportation, or other resources.
The pastor didn’t hesitate. “Materialism.”
Ron was stunned. Surely materialism was primarily a Western problem. But the pastor explained that if a man has a mud hut, he wants a stone hut. If he has a thatched roof, he wants a metal one. If he has one cow, he wants two.
That conversation helped Ron recognize an important truth: Materialism isn’t ultimately about how much you have. It’s about what your heart longs for.
If materialism can thrive in a mud hut as easily as in an American suburb, then possessions aren’t the root problem. The heart is.
Money simply has a remarkable ability to expose what is already there.
Money Reveals What We Trust
Money itself is neither moral nor immoral. It is a tool. But because it touches nearly every area of life, the way we handle it can reveal what is happening inside us.
Overspending may reveal a desire for identity, comfort, or approval. Clinging tightly to savings may reveal where we seek ultimate security. Debt can sometimes expose impatience or a desire to live beyond what God has currently provided. Resistance to generosity may reveal a fear that there will not be enough.
In each case, the dollars are secondary. The heart is primary.
The good news is that God cares deeply about our hearts, and He invites us into something better: freedom from fear, comparison, striving, and the belief that everything depends on us.
Over the years, a few biblical truths have become foundational to the way I think about money and stewardship.
1. God Owns It All
Biblical stewardship begins with ownership.
Everything we possess ultimately belongs to God. Our money, possessions, abilities, opportunities, and even the power to produce wealth are gifts entrusted to us for a season.
Recognizing God's ownership changes the question from, “What do I want to do with my money?” to, “God, what would You have me do with what belongs to You?”
When we understand ourselves as stewards rather than owners, we can begin to hold money with greater gratitude, humility, and freedom.
2. God Is Our Provider
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6 that our heavenly Father feeds the birds and clothes the lilies—and that His children are worth far more.
That doesn’t mean Christians will never face financial difficulty or uncertainty. It does mean our ultimate confidence is not found in a paycheck, investment account, or emergency fund.
Wise planning matters. Saving matters. Working diligently matters. But none of those things were designed to carry the weight of our ultimate security.
God is our provider.
As that truth moves from something we know intellectually to something we believe deeply, fear begins to loosen its grip.
3. Money Is a Tool, Not a Treasure
Money is useful, but it makes a terrible master.
It was never meant to provide our identity, significance, or ultimate security. Instead, money can bec
