Penny-Wise and Pound-Foolish

“Money, it’s a gas.” At least that’s how the song by Pink Floyd goes. Money is a gas too. It’s literally the golden ticket that unlocks seemingly locked doors. And who could forget the classic by the O’Jays, For the Love of Money? We love our money, don’t we? Our society has been having a love affair with money for centuries. It’s an inherent part of our culture, which revolves around capitalism and the accumulation of wealth. More is better, or so we’re told. Let’s face it; we need money. Without it, we don’t eat, pay our bills, or have a place to live. Churches need it too. Pastors and church staff are compensated for their effort. The landscaping company has to be paid. No house of worship would be acceptable without a pristinely manicured lawn, right? We have to pay for new carpet in Fellowship Hall. Mission trips require funding. After all, making disciples of all nations doesn’t come cheap. It stands to reason Christians and churches need money. So what’s the problem with it?

            Well, as Hal Holbrook’s character Lou Mannheim said in Wall Street, “The main thing about money, Bud [played by Charlie Sheen], is that it makes you do things you don't want to do.” Indeed it does – even for Christians. Money can often be an impediment to our faith. In Mark 10, a rich man asked Jesus how he could obtain eternal life. In verse 21 Jesus responded, “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” The man was downtrodden because he had great wealth. Later Jesus said to the disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Expounding on his previous statement, he added, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Many who have studied the Bible are familiar with this verse. I suppose some could view it as the Christian version of “it’s not if you win or lose, but how you play the game.” Being honest, the people who typically utter those words are on the losing team. Christians without money, or as much of it as they would like, take comfort in their position of low stature and reference the familiar words about the camel.

            Was Jesus really bashing money in these verses? Surely he was aware of money’s necessity for survival. And what’s wrong with money? Some Christians are incredibly blessed and give freely. So what was really going on here? Well, there are a couple different theories. One posits the idea that Jesus was referencing a gate in Jerusalem that was in fact quite narrow. A camel could pass as long as it was stripped of all its baggage. While this is an interesting theory, research has demonstrated a lack of credibility. Scholars have noted a few key points regarding this. First, there is no evidence that a ‘needle gate’ existed at the time Jesus spoke these words. Second, anyone with a fully loaded camel would simply take an alternate route into the city. Third, Jesus’ following words regarding what is possible with God do not fit the analogy of salvation and eternal life. Jesus would never insinuate that salvation could be achieved by simply removing things from our lives. As John MacArthur noted, “The obvious point of that picturesque expression of hyperbole is not that salvation is difficult, but rather that it is humanly impossible for everyone by any means, including the wealthy. Sinners are aware of their guilt and fear, and may even desire a relationship with God that would bring forgiveness and peace. But they cannot hold on to their sinful priorities and personal control and think they can come to God on their own terms. The young man illustrates that reality” (Buettel, 2015).

            Two is that Jesus was acknowledging the true means of salvation, and that it was something that could not be obtained by man at any price. When we begin to acquire wealth, we tend to put a certain amount of faith in it. After all, money can provide a great deal of security. If you have enough of it, you don’t have to worry about working or paying the bills. Children’s college education can be fully funded. Retirement can begin much earlier and be made very comfortable. Vacations become an accepted part of life. All these things are true. However, no one cheats death. In the end, death comes for us all, and when it does, no amount of money can buy salvation. Jesus Christ bought and paid for our salvation with his blood. It is only through repentance and faith that we can receive it. When Jesus spoke to the rich man, he wasn’t indicating wealth was a bad thing. No, he was admonishing him for placing his trust it in. I say this because the young man walked away sad (the King James Version says grieved), which indicates he believed in the power of his wealth as it related to his original question.

            Jesus tells the man to sell everything his has and give the proceeds to the poor. Then he will have treasure in heaven. The Greek word for treasure is theasauros, which means a deposit. In other words, Jesus was telling the man that by selling all of his riches and giving the money to the poor, he would be making a deposit in heaven. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The Greek word for heart is kardia, which means mind. By storing up treasures in heaven, our minds and our focus are on heaven, not worldly things. How easy it is to get caught up in the rat race and keeping up with the Jones’. Even Christians succumb to the allure of money and measuring up to society’s standard. Growing up, I attended a very prominent church in Philadelphia. Just a few miles from the University of Pennsylvania, it was replete with Ivy League graduates and affluent members, many of whom were involved with the church an gave generously. That didn’t prevent them from keeping score monetarily, though. Let’s face it, money is a yardstick for measuring success – at least by the world’s standard. We quietly appraise the status of others in comparison to ours. Judgment soon follows, and we find ourselves either envying, condemning, or feeling sorry for others. All in the name of money – because it’s a gas, right?

            Wrong! Money, like our lives, is transient. It has limited value and utility. All the wealth in the world cannot purchase salvation, which is what Jesus was telling the rich young man. Placing our confidence and hope in the riches of this world is utterly foolish because this world will indeed end. Money has no value in heaven. With its gold-paved streets, the impecunious and last become first, while the affluent and first become last. In a society laden with consumerism at a pandemic rate, Christians must be mindful not to fall into the money trap. It’s tempting to chase the dollar, to work obsessively in order to afford bigger houses and nicer cars and sock away money for the future. We justify our behavior, falsely believing our actions are indeed in line with biblical teaching. Such effort is a distraction from Christianity, which is predicated upon Christ’s edict to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. In the movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, made a speech about greed that became wildly known. He starts off, “Greed is good,” and continues to extol the inherent goodness and necessity for greed, proclaiming that greed can save the failing company in which he is a major stockholder.

            Money can buy a lot of things. But it can’t buy happiness, nor can it buy salvation. Jesus’ words to the young man were both a command and a warning. You see, as Christians, we can be penny-wise and pound-foolish. This is a British saying that essentially means someone is stingy with the little expenses but spends freely when it comes to lavish ones. In the case of Christianity, some of us can get caught up in the world. We save, invest, plan for our future, and indulge in the abundant luxuries monetary advantage provides (penny-wise). At the same time, we are pound-foolish in that we neglect to store up treasures (that is, make deposits) in heaven. When I was a financial educator a number of years ago, one of the money-managing lessons I taught was the time-value of money, specifically as it pertained to compound interest. For example, a single deposit of $10,000 earning a decent interest rate could be worth hundreds of times its original value by the time one reached retirement. The, key, though, was to start early – the earlier, the better.

            The same is true when it comes our deposits in heaven. We should start early. Over time, they will increase in value. When we retire permanently, they will be waiting for us. Jesus knew how distracting and impeding money and all that affords could be. For the young ruler, it was the ultimate impediment because he could not see beyond its earthly value. As Christians, we must be good stewards of what God has provided, whether in dearth or abundance. Luke 12:48 states, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” The King of kings walked this earth, yet he never owned a home or any personal means of transportation. A destitute drifter, he owned little more than the clothes on his back. Possessing no status or social rank, he was a common man, a vagrant. Nevertheless his influence and legacy changed the world. Like the disciples, we are called to abandon everything and follow him. We must ignore the enticements of this world and focus on the world to come. Christ, and Christ alone, provides salvation. It cannot be purchased at any price. Money, yeah, it’s a gas all right – until it has no value! Then it’s nothing more than useless paper. As Christians, we must shift our focus to heavenly treasures and become pound-wise!