Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. ~ 2 Peter 1:3-8, NIV
We teach our kids that money is a tool. Not inherently evil (please, please don’t misquote Paul’s letter to Timothy!), not necessarily good. A tool, that can be made useful for others, or can be wielded to destruction (usually to ourselves). Investing money is a method to build wealth—to use appropriately and to share with others. It isn’t a recipe for self-esteem, for social ladder-climbing, or for showing off. Investing wisely is simply a way to use what we have been blessed with to be responsible and to bless others, glory to God.
I thought of that investment principle as I read through Second Peter. These qualities of faith are listed a bit like a ‘snowball concept’ in the financial world. Add to faith goodness. In other words, invest your faith in goodness—it will increase both yours and other’s faith. Add to goodness knowledge—continue building that faith, which has increased by goodness, with knowledge. To knowledge self-control . . .perseverance . . . godliness . . . mutual affection . . . and love.
The path to Christian wealth. Not a trail to large bank accounts, but to qualities of faith that make us useful and productive. I like that. I want to be useful—I think we’ve been created with purpose.
When you think of Christian wealth, do you think of a faith that is made useful?
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