God Wants Us to Respect Money, Not Worship It

Some people have money to burn.

Others seem to have enough to throw into the ocean or down the drain.

Such was the case the other day with a 24-year-old rapper, Kodak Black, who was videoed throwing $100 bills off of a boat into the ocean.

Many wonder, "Now, where exactly was that boat?"

According to COMPLEX.com (June 30, 2021): "It’s unclear how much money Kodak threw altogether, but some people online are claiming it’s somewhere north of $100,000.

"As if that wasn’t wasteful enough, Kodak proceeded to throw more money away Wednesday morning. In the short clip posted on Twitter, he is seen putting about $1,000 into a toilet bowl before flushing the money."

Apparently, this publicity stunt had something to do with a feud Kodak Black was having against another rapper. Perhaps this was a form of boasting, along the lines of: "I don’t need you — I’ve got so much money, I can throw some of it away.”

However, some interpreted the stunt as an anti-Capitalist statement.

Another tweeted: "$100K in Haiti could build homes for the almost 60,000 people who were left homeless and living in camps since 2010."

When young people come into a lot of money quickly, they don’t always appreciate the value of a dollar.

Proverbs 20:21 declares, "An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end."

Since the rest of us spend so much of our time working hard to make money, it’s worthwhile to think through a few key principles about money, from a Judeo-Christian perspective.

First, money is a means of exchange. In previous times, shells, tobacco, and other things were used in place of money.

Second, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone had to pay for that lunch. If the government provides some sort of social welfare payment to Citizen A, it does so at the expense of Citizen B.

Third, Capitalism is a system that allows people to reap and retain the fruit of their own hard work, and has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. Socialism and Communism, meanwhile, have plunged hundreds of millions into poverty — while autocratic leaders enjoy a lifestyle beyond the dreams of the sultans.

Fourth, the greatest among us is the servant of all. Money and prosperity often comes to those who find creative ways to serve those around them (in a system that allows and rewards such things).

Fifth, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. That's because those who love money can never get enough of it.

Let's also consider, that those who chase get-rich schemes rather than earning money through work do badly in the long run (and maybe the short run too).

For example, lottery winners consistently find that it was the worst thing that ever happened to them. They lost friends. They blew the money on frivolous things, and then it was gone.

Remember, slow and steady beats chasing fantasies. People value money much more when they work hard and smart for it, and it slowly accumulates.

Never forget, "You Can’t Take it With You."

Even if you’re buried with gold (like the pharaohs were), what is that to a corpse?

"What doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (See Mark: 8:36).

It's also important to think of these things when it comes to money — especially yours:  

• Give a nice portion of what you make to charity (at least 10%).
• Save a nice portion of what you make for the future.
• Make more money than you spend.
• Avoid debt as much as you can.
• If you have debts, pay the smallest one off first
• Pay each one off until they are all paid off.
• Stop worrying about "keeping up with the Joneses." Forget them. If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, ask to see  their water bill — first. 
• Read and study Proverbs every day. It will change your life.
• Treat others as you would want to be treated, says Jesus. (See Matthew 7:12). 
• Personal peace of mind exceeds a fat paycheck.
• God owns it all. We're just stewards — who will one day give an account.

When I heard about Kodak Black’s stunt of throwing tens of thousands of dollars into the ocean, I couldn’t help but think of a music video from another singer a few years ago.

I confess I had never heard of Drake until he filmed a music video in Miami, and I personally knew someone who worked on it. The song performed in that video, "God’s Plan," and videographers captured Drake walking around Miami giving thousands of dollars to real people in need.

Generosity with money indeed fits "God’s plan," certainly much more than just throwing money away to make some point — a point lost on the rest of us who struggle to pay our bills and just make a living.

Jerry Newcombe, D. Min., is the executive director of the Providence Forum, an outreach of D. James Kennedy Ministries, where Jerry also serves as senior producer and an on-air host. He has written/co-written 33 books, including "George Washington's Sacred Fire" (with Providence Forum founder Peter Lillback, Ph.D.) and "What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?" (with D. James Kennedy, Ph.D.). Read Jerry Newcombe's Reports — More Here.