Our attitude towards money

“...who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.” Psalm 15:5
Today we reach the end of Psalm 15, and the last of a series of characteristics that should be developing in our lives as Christians. Here we have two aspects, both relating to money. Firstly, to lend without usury. In some translations it is rendered ‘interest’, in others, ‘excessive interest’. We’ve all seen stories in the news – or possibly experienced it ourselves – about loan sharks who advertise what souns like a low interest rate on a personal loan, only for people to take one out and find that the rate was a weekly instead of an annual rate, and that the repayments quickly spiralled out of control. We are encouraged to be generous with our money, using it to help others and thus laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven (Matt. 19:21, Rom. 12:8, 2 Cor. 9:6-7, 1 Tim. 6:18, Prov. 11:25, 22:9).
The second is like it: to not accept bribes. God tells us, “Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous” (Deut. 16:19). Solomon wrote, “Extortion turns a wise man into a fool and a bribe corrupts the heart” (Eccl. 7:7). Accepting a bribe carries with it the expectation that you will act in favour of the one who gave it to you, instead of treating everyone fairly. Think about it – would Jesus accept a bribe?
Both of these issues stem from our attitude towards money. If we are greedy for money or attached to it, we will find it hard to let go, and always be on the lookout for how we can make that little bit more. Money starts to rule our life, and ultimately it can take the place of God (Matt. 6:24). “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:9-10).
Money itself is neither good nor bad – it’s how we use it. Money is not something that we should see as keeping for ourself. On the one hand, we need to provide for ourselves and our family, both in the present and in the future. But on the other, it is a tool that we have been given by God to use (Deut. 8:18). Therefore we should use it for His glory.