A guest post by Ben Hoersch…
“Why is there a table talk about money at a Gospel Romance conference? I don’t get it!”
I would say there are few topics more important to a healthy marriage than this. As we seek to learn more about how God has designed relationship and intimacy between a man and a woman, we consult the ultimate authority on the matter, the Bible. And it is here in the Bible where we find out just how much our hearts are tied up by where our money is.
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says, “Where your treasures are there your heart will be also.”
If you are a skeptic and are not convinced by scriptures alone, according to the American Psychological Association, over 90% of people marry by the age of 50 and between 40–50 % of married couples in the United States divorce. According to a recent survey from Kansas State University (though most surveys have the same conclusion), “No matter how much a person makes, fights about money are the biggest contributors to divorce. “
In other words, nearly everyone gets married and approximately half of married couples divorce citing money problems as the biggest contributor.
So having more doesn’t help. As the saying goes, “Mo Money, Mo Problems.”
That said, fear of divorce is not our motivator to be a good financial steward, though it is evidence of the impact money can have in a relationship. And instead of fear, we wish to be motivated to experience the joy and hope that comes from finding out what God’s word has to say about money and submitting to His plan. And the Bible has a lot to say on the subject. According to Randy Alcorn, there are approximately 2,350 scriptures regarding money or possessions. Here are just three to get us started …
- God’s plan is better: Isaiah 55:8–9
- God owns it all: Psalms 24:1
- Trustworthy stewards: 1 Corinthians 4:2
So, as we seek God’s help in our marriage, let’s also seek His help to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to us.
