The famous phrase ‘money is the root of all evil’ is a misquote. The actual verse, 1 Timothy 6:10, states, ‘For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.’ Money itself is not the problem. Rather, what’s in focus here is loving and accruing wealth to the effect that it erodes our love of God, and our neighbour—including our global neighbour.

Christians don’t set out to do this, but it’s easy to slip from good stewardship into a position of holding too tightly to earthly treasures. When this happens, our world becomes smaller and self-obsessed.

The grace-filled renovation of our heart enables us to use money well as an overflow of divine love, moving towards others for their good. Dallas Willard in his book, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering our Hidden Life in God, wrote, ‘Jesus does not call us to do what he did, but to be as he was, permeated with love. Then the doing of what he did and said becomes the natural expression of who we are in him.’

All human beings are made in the image of God and are intended to be God’s representatives, so what we do with our money matters to God. When we use our money to invest in ministry, care for the vulnerable or in other ways be Jesus’ hands and feet in the world, we live out our calling as ambassadors of Christ. As Jesus says, ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ (Matthew 6:21).

All human beings are made in the image of God and are intended to be God’s representatives, so what we do with our money matters to God.

For Christians, good stewardship means considering your own family’s needs alongside those of our local community, and your broader neighbours who often live with much less.

Through informed prayer and giving, we can partner with Christian organisations and their global network to put our money to work and do good in the world that advances the Kingdom of God. I visited community savings groups in South Asia and was in awe of people who were assisting others and transforming their lives and community through small loans.

Every act of giving, in love, partners with Jesus to advance the kingdom of God. Our hearts are deeply moved by global poverty and the injustice that grips so many lives, yet with our money, we exercise our faith like a grain of mustard seed and see the divine transformation that shifts mountains of impossibility (Matthew 17:20).

How might you use money for good?

This article first appeared in the Better World Magazine—December 2024 Edition and was contributed by Robert Ellis. Robert is the National Relationship Manager for Baptist Financial Services Australia.