Follow the Money, Follow the Heart: What Your Finances Reveal About Your Faith

Money is one of the most talked-about topics in the Bible, yet it is one of the most avoided topics in the church. There are more than 2,350 Scriptures addressing money, stewardship, and financial management. Jesus Himself spoke about it repeatedly. If He said it, we should listen.

What Does the Bible Say About Money and the Heart?

In Matthew 19, a young man approaches Jesus with a question that many people still ask today:

"Someone came to Jesus with this question: 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?'" — Matthew 19:16 (NIV)

Jesus walks him through the commandments. The young man responds confidently, claiming that he has kept them all. Then Jesus gets to the real issue:

"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" — Matthew 19:21 (NIV)

Jesus was not saying that selling everything is a universal requirement for salvation. He was diagnosing a specific heart condition in this man. His possessions had become his god. The god of Mammon had taken the place of the God of the universe.

"When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." — Matthew 19:22 (NIV)

Some have speculated that this young man may have been called to become one of the twelve disciples, although Scripture does not tell us this. Regardless, he walked away from one of the greatest opportunities imaginable because his temporary possessions had become his ultimate treasure.

Your Treasure Reveals Your Heart

Jesus makes this connection unmistakably clear in Matthew 6:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." — Matthew 6:19–21 (NIV)

Where your money goes reveals where your heart is. It is that simple, and that serious.

Think about the last 90 days of your spending. If someone looked at your bank statements without knowing anything about you, what would they conclude that you value most? That is not a comfortable question, but it is an honest one.

Are You Giving God Your Leftovers or Your Best?

Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel, once received a call from someone offering to donate a piano to the church. The person had recently purchased a beautiful Steinway baby grand but planned to give away their old upright piano.

Before the pickup even happened, God convicted that person. The question the Lord pressed upon their heart was simple: Why are you giving Me your leftovers instead of your best?

That is a question worth sitting with. Do we give God what is left over after everything else has been taken care of, or do we give with intentionality and a surrendered heart?

Generosity Opens Unexpected Doors

Generosity is rarely just about money. A small act of giving to someone in need, a note tucked inside an envelope with some cash, or a generous tip to a struggling server can become the very thing that opens a door to share the gospel.

You never know what a little generosity can accomplish. Thankful giving is not just a Thanksgiving concept; it is a lifestyle.

Your Financial Focus Shapes Your Spiritual Vision

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" — Matthew 6:22–23 (NIV)

Jesus is not simply talking about physical sight here. He is talking about the lens through which we perceive everything. When money becomes that lens, it distorts how we see God, how we see ourselves, and how we see other people.

What Lens Are You Using to Make Decisions?

Ask yourself honestly: What drives the decisions you make? Is it financial fear? Is it the pursuit of financial success? Or is it Scripture?

It is not wrong to have things. It is not wrong to be wealthy. The problem comes when things have us. When possessions become the filter through which we evaluate every decision, we have drifted from the path God has for us, sometimes without even realizing it.

There is a day coming for each of us when we will take our last breath. What we do with what God has entrusted to us matters. How we steward our time, gifts, finances, and obedience to His calling all have eternal significance.

Money Makes a Terrible Master

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." — Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

You are either surrendered to Christ or you are not. When you insist on running the show yourself, you eventually become enslaved to the very things you believe you control.

Money can be a useful servant. It can fund the advancement of God's kingdom, bless your family, and provide opportunities to be generous. But as a master, it is destructive. It cannot provide real security. It cannot provide lasting peace. It cannot provide genuine joy.

Wealth Without God Is Empty

Some of the wealthiest people in the world are also among the most miserable. Why do some people who achieve tremendous success in entertainment and culture still experience such deep emptiness and despair? Because worldly success cannot satisfy the soul. Money may fill every account, but it cannot fill the emptiness within us.

On the other hand, there are people of great wealth who are deeply rooted in Christ, give generously, prioritize the kingdom, and experience genuine peace, security, and joy. The difference is not the amount in their bank accounts. The difference is who sits on the throne of their hearts.

God does not object to you having money. He objects to money having you.

Stewardship Is About More Than Giving to the Church

Good stewardship means managing what God has given you wisely across every area of life.

Two families can earn the exact same income and end up in completely different financial situations based on how they steward what they have. One family creates financial margins, saves intentionally, gives generously, and plans ahead. The other spends every dollar trying to fill a void that only God can fill.

The heart condition behind overspending is often an attempt to find in purchases what can only be found in a relationship with God. As followers of Christ, we are called to be content. That does not mean we cannot enjoy what God provides. First Timothy 6 makes it clear that God richly provides us with things to enjoy. However, we must hold those things loosely and keep our eyes fixed on what is eternal.

Life Application

This week, take an honest look at your finances over the last 30 to 90 days. Not to condemn yourself, but to examine your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what your spending habits say about what you truly value and trust.

Then make one intentional financial decision that puts God first. It might mean writing a tithe check before you have the opportunity to talk yourself out of it. It might mean giving generously to someone in need. Or it might mean signing up for a financial stewardship class and committing to manage what God has given you more faithfully.

Here are a few questions to reflect on this week:

• What does my spending over the last 90 days reveal about what I truly value?
• Have I been trusting money to provide something that only God can give me, such as security, peace, or happiness?
• What is one financial decision I can make this week that puts God's kingdom first?
• Am I giving God my best, or am I giving Him what is left over?
• Is money serving me, or have I been serving money?

Wherever your treasure is, your heart will follow. The invitation is to let Christ be the Lord of every area of your life, including your finances, so that your heart remains anchored to what is eternal.

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