Making SpaceSample

Money and Work

When God seems small, we lie in bed at night wondering who’ll provide for us tomorrow. A trivialized God causes fear, anxiety, and insecurity because even if that God cares, He can’t do anything; we must provide for ourselves. We must hoard our money for our good.

When God seems small, I feel big. A minuscule God drives us to make ourselves important: “Look what I can do! See what I’ve made! Look at how important I am!” When God seems small, you become the center of the universe, and you’ll be the one whom everyone should worship. While we might not ever say thoughts like this out loud, we live them out in the way we relate to our finances and our careers.

Making God small is foolishness, the writer of Proverbs tells us, because it doesn’t reflect a fear of the Lord. God is big. God is weighty. God is good.

How has God proved Himself to be big and trustworthy? Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, as you read Philippians 2:6-11. 

Jesus took initiative, accepted responsibility, and finished the work. What an immense treasure we have in Christ! Jesus is the personification not only of the wisdom of work but also of wisdom with treasure. Christ gave up heaven for us! He gave Himself fully, emptying Himself. That’s how we pursue wisdom with our work and our money.

In a culture driven by the urge to prove and earn our significance, Jesus has made us recipients of His work and His gift. In Christ we’re significant not because of what we do but because of what has been done for us.