Two Attitudes Of The Financially Fit Series

Tania Luna is five years old and came to the United States eventually from Chernobyl in Russia. Four years earlier, Tania spends nine months in the hospital while black rain is coming down and her sister’s hair falling out in clumps. All of this was a result of the most horrific nuclear disaster in history. After receiving asylum in the US, the five-year-old arrives in the United States where she expects to arrive in a place that is filled with wonderful things “like bananas and chocolate and Bazooka.” On her first day in New York City, she finds a penny on the floor in a hotel with lots of rats. Tania is holding this sticky, rusty penny in her hand and she feels like she is holding a fortune. And she loves this feeling for she feels like a millionaire. Years later, she and her sister get a knock on her door in their apartment of Brooklyn. In front of them is a deliveryman with a box of pizza they didn’t order. It’s their very first box of pizza and devour a slice while the delivery man stands in the doorway asking for money. Only her family didn’t have money for the pizza as her mother walked 50 blocks to and from work every day. It’s then that the neighbor pops her head out the door and turns red with rage when she realizes that “those immigrants from downstairs” have somehow gotten their hands on her pizza Tania says, “Everyone was upset. But the pizza is delicious.”

On their tenth anniversary of being in the U.S., the family decided to celebrate by reserving a room at the hotel they had first stayed in when they got to the U.S. The man at the front desk laughs, and says, “You cannot reserve a room here. This is a homeless shelter.” Tania was shocked as she thought about her experience many years before holding her penny.

Tania's story stood out to me as I listened to her several months ago. Because she had so little, a little was a lot. Whether we have little of it or a lot if, money has a powerful impact on our lives.

Again, money has a powerful impact on our lives. The Book of Proverbs is principles from heaven for life on earth. Today, I want to show you Two Common of Money Myths & Two Attitudes the Financially Fit.

2 Common Money Myths

Think of these as roadblocks to really understanding God’s attitude on money, wealth, and possessions.

1. Poverty is Privileged

There’s been a real and refreshing move among many of our young people to eradicate poverty. Yet, along with this notable movement, there’s been a rise in asceticism. You see, there are two problem attitudes for us as we look at wealth. The first is asceticism, which sees money as evil. And the second is materialism, which sees money as god. One extreme never has enough while the other extreme sees the less you possess, the more spiritual you are. Materialism and asceticism are equally rooted in wrong views on money and acquiring wealth. Nowhere does Scripture consider poverty inherently good: “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin” (Proverbs 10:15). Certainly, God cares for the poor but this is out of His compassion, and not based on the merit a poor person might have because they are poor.

Certainly, the poor often seek God earnestly because of their needs. But poverty isn’t privileged. In fact, Proverbs is candid about poverty: “Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend” (Proverbs 19:4).

The First Common Money Myth: Poverty is Privileged

2. The Righteous Are Always Rich

The first is asceticism, which sees money as evil. And the second is materialism, which sees money as god. Proverbs talks candidly about the advantage of being wealthy: “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin” (Proverbs 10:15). While there are obvious advantages to having money, God doesn’t favor the wealthy. In a recent survey, Americans felt God will grant wealth to those who have enough faith. This is wrong. “… give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9). We should be balanced between desiring poverty and being wealthy.

Two Healthy Attitudes for Financial Fitness

1. The Wise Are Grateful

To adopt a grateful mindset is counterintuitive for many of us. We believe that if we have had success in life, it is mainly the result of our own hard work. And because of our hard work, we have an absolute right to use our money as we see fit. “As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields” (Job 5:8-10).