Two Questions Before You Decide
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”Matthew 22:37–39 (KJV)
Money decisions can get complicated fast. Spreadsheets, projections, opinions from everyone you ask. Jesus didn’t give us a formula for every choice, but he did give us two commandments that every choice has to pass through.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
So before the next big decision, ask two questions. Does this honour God with what he has trusted me with? And does this help me love the people nearest to me, or does it pull me away from them? Your family is your nearest neighbour.
Paul says, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” A decision can make sense on paper and still fail the second question. Let love have the final say.
Read it yourself
Read Matthew 22:34–40. What does Jesus say hangs on these two commandments?
Think of a money decision you are facing. How does it answer each of the two questions?
Lord, I want my decisions to love you first and love my neighbour well. Give me wisdom to choose that way. Amen.