"I
want to become financially independent"
This is a
very common goal amongst career-oriented professionals - and
one I pursued vigorously myself - until my donkey started
talking to me!
Jacques Ellul,
former professor of sociology at the University of Bordeaux,
France wrote, "When we claim to use money, we make a
gross error. We can use money, but it is really money that
uses us and makes us servants by bringing us under its law
and subordinating us to its aims. Money is the outward
manifestation of this power, a mode of being in a form used
in relating to man" ("Money & Power", p
74). He describes how Jesus deliberately unmasks this power
behind money and gives it a name. "No one can serve
two masters, for you will hate one and love the other, or be
devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both
God and Mammon" (Matthew 6:24).
Balaam, the
donkey's owner was strongly influenced by Mammon, because
the Bible says; "he followed a wrong strategy
because he loved to earn money by doing wrong and was
stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with
a human voice" (2 Peter 2:15, 16). It also says,
"Balaam would do anything for money" (Jude
1:11). He served the wrong master! Jesus revealed that money
is a power that acts by itself, is capable of moving things
and competes for our allegiance and devotion! Money in
itself is not evil, nor is sinful to be wealthy. It can be
used either for good or for evil.
Paul, working
in business as a tentmaker, warns us about the dangers of
'loving money.' "But people who long to be rich fall
into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful
desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the
love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some
people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and
pierced themselves with many sorrows" (1 Timothy
6:9, 10). Derek Prince, the famous Bible teacher wrote,
"I often taught on God's plan to prosper believers, yet
looking back, I regret any occasion on which I taught this
message of prosperity without balancing it with Paul's
warning here."
So, how can I
set my donkey free, releasing it from Mammon? Financial
freedom begins by accepting that Jesus has "disarmed
the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by
his victory over them on the cross of Christ"
(Colossians 2:14, 15). How did He do this? Jesus submitted
Himself, just once, to the power of money by allowing
Himself to become the object of the world economic system,
buying and selling. He was sold for 30 pieces of silver. He
broke through this power of money to take us into God's
economic system of the Kingdom, giving and receiving. So,
the power of Mammon was broken. All who accept Jesus' offer
of full payment "tetelestiai" (see Donkey
Business-1) is delivered from slavery to the master Mammon
and set free!
Next
week, we shall see how Balaam's donkey warned him about the
way he used sexual sin to achieve his ambitions! Ambition is
not wrong, but be careful of your motives!
Peter Briscoe
Peter J.
Briscoe, currently serving as European Regional Director for
CBMC International and Europartners. He lives in Leiden, The
Netherlands.
