Read: Mark 12:28-34

Listen: Mark 12

“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

A religious leader approaches Jesus and asks, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” The two commandments Jesus cites take him back to Deuteronomy 6, words that were recited by faithful Jews daily. These commands can be condensed to an easy-to-remember phrase, “Love God. Love others.” These commands are to guide every aspect of their lives, including their finances. It’s the same point Jesus makes in Luke 12:20-21, the parable of the rich man who decides to build more barns to store his grain. The man’s focus is solely on how he can use surplus grain to his benefit. He gives no thought to how he could help someone else. Jesus clearly tells us that we show our love for him by loving those around us.

The big question is, how do we grow and protect our wealth (no matter how large or small) for the glory of God and the benefit of others? We want to know how much is too much, how much we should give and to whom we should give it. These are challenging questions because Jesus doesn’t tell us exactly what to do, only what matters more than anything else. As we love God and love others, Jesus tells us where our focus should and shouldn’t be.

TODAY: In your journal, list three things you are grateful for today. Then, pray a prayer of openness, asking God to shift your heart toward seeing your finances as a tool to give him glory and benefit others.