KJV Verses That ALSO Talk About Money (But You Won’t Know) & Verses That Are FORCED To Talk About Money (II)

In this series, I show and expound on KJV bible verses that talk about money or refer indirectly to finances which you won’t know unless you either read it in context, or get another translation/version of the bible. 

I also talk about some verses that have been either been forced to talk only about money (-when you read such verse, you only think MONEY), or misquoted/twisted to talk about money in a way their contextual usage did not imply at all.

The format is one verse each under each heading. I started last week so if you missed it, here is the 1st part of the series.

Today, we continue

Scriptures that also talk about money

Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 

You know, many people don't know that this scripture also talks about money/financial education. And you won't know until you read it in context, and/or in another version. But let us see it in context first from KJV and then The Message, starting from vs 1-9:

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Proverbs 22:1-9 MSG

A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank. The rich and the poor shake hands as equals— God made them both! A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered. The payoff for meekness and Fear-of- God is plenty and honor and a satisfying life. The perverse travel a dangerous road, potholed and mud-slick; if you know what’s good for you, stay clear of it. Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost. The poor are always ruled over by the rich, so don’t borrow and put yourself under their power. Whoever sows sin reaps weeds, and bullying anger sputters into nothing. Generous hands are blessed hands because they give bread to the poor.

I know some people will want to argue that the context is life, and not strictly finances, but such an argument will mean you don’t see how having the right, and a proper financial education is an important aspect of (attaining success in) life, BUT THE BIBLE SEES IT OTHERWISE. Out of 8 verses around that verse, 6 directly mentions riches/the rich/poor/froward,corrupt people, etc.

If you don’t have a balanced outlook to life, especially how to handle finances you will be poor. That’s what the bible says. And you can’t teach your children to be rich unless you have such knowledge/information yourself (you can’t give what you don’t have).

Like I explained on DAY 28 , there is a way every child should go. Parenting experts will quickly tell you that no two children are exactly the same (even identical twins). And to attempt to guide them into the same thing in the same way might result in frustration for them. 

See this excerpt from wikipedia’s Twins page  "Identical twins do not have the same fingerprints, due to the fact that even in a small space inside the womb, people have contact with different parts of this environment, which gives small variations in the same digital, making them unique." 

There are general guiding principles, and these must be followed but uniquely applying them to each child/person’s money personality. Read yesterday’s article: How to have a child financially and DAY 28: Focus on strengthening your strengths for more on this.

Scripture about money that is often misquoted

1 Timothy 6:10 For THE LOVE OF money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (Emphasis mine)

Personally I don’t know where people heard the saying MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, It is a lovely saying, only that it isn’t biblical. It is just like a line in one of 50 cent’s rap song, “Even the bible says that heaven helps those who help themselves”, and I’m like “Eh hen Fity, where nah?! Come and show me, haba. Lol

In a bid to shift people’s focus off over-emphasis on money/the prosperity message of the Word of Faith movement, some well meaning pastors and believers have misquoted 1 Tim 6:10 to mean what Paul didn’t mean it.

Money isn’t the root of all evil. It can’t be, else the bible will be contradicting itself when it says in (another misquoted verse anyway) Eccl 10: 19b; Money provides all (these) things or Money answereth all things (KJV). God wants us to be comfortable in life (check also Deut 8:7-18, Exo 12:35-36). But whatever comfort he gives to us is so that we may comfort others too (2 Cor 1:4), and not lord it over them.

In fact Paul will have been contradicting himself when in Vs 17 he says, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, WHO GIVETH RICHLY ALL THINGS TO ENJOY.” (Emphasis mine)

Like I said in The Golden Rule Of Personal Finance, Money is neutral, it only takes on the personality of the owner. If you are a greedy person, the first way everyone will know is how you handle your finances. And if you are a generous person, your money will be the first person to tell us.

When a person loves money, they will do so many ungodly things to get and keep it. They will value material possessions above relationships and treat people like shit in order to get money. And if you read the verse in context (1 Tim 6:5-19) you will see quickly that it is this very attitude/mindset Paul as talking about and warning against- not promoting being poor and avoiding money like a plague.

The funny thing is that such people will get the money oh, but their character will have been traded for it. And of what value is money without integrity/good character, or worse, without a right standing with God. (Matt. 16:26, 19:16-22, Rev 3: 14-19)?