Have you ever thought about money and what it really is? Money is something we can’t seem to get along without and there is some truth to that. Is money evil or just the love for money evil.
Money is a perception, yes, it is a perception. It is a perception of belief. Most everyone believes money will get them what they want and need.
Why is money traded? Money is traded because the person giving it to another person is receiving something in return. The one who receives it believes it can be used to later get them something they want or need. The traders each received something they perceived to be of equal value. So, you can see, money is a perception, a perception of value.
When an individual uses money to buy something, they probably consider what they did to receive the money. In other words, what did it cost them to get the money? For example, if someone is paid $100 a day for eight hours of work, they can easily surmise it cost them eight hours of one day which may have included a couple stressful and strenuous hours as part of the total eight hours. When they later buy something that costs $100, they can reflect on what it took for them to get that $100 and then they decide, is it worth $100. You see, money is a perception of value.
Money is really a perception translated and represented by a dollar bill with each dollar representing a price that was paid to get each dollar. Therefore, money is a way of assigning perceived value.
When many people in a society accept money as perceived value and accept what it represents, it can be accepted as an easy way to trade goods or services.
This means the more money one has, the more goods and services they can procure. This gives having money, power. The more money one has, the more power they have to purchase goods or services.
Along the idea of money equaling power, money can influence. The reason it can influence is that it can be used to get others to do something or refrain from doing something. This shows that money is powerful.
Money represents power and influence. When a person purchases an item that cost them a lot of money, that purchase can be put on display for others to see; When others see the high cost item, they know the person owning it paid lots of money for it and they immediately compare themselves to that person. This is how money displays power and influence for others to see. It is non-verbal communication. It’s a way of gaining respect from others.
The bible tells us, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and POWERS…” (Eph. 6:12). Is it possible, God is telling us, many of our struggles are because of the power of money? Money is a perception of value and influence. Money represents power.
The danger and therefore, evil of money is not its “face value”, it is how that representation of perceived power is used to hurt or harm others. Of course, disposable money can be used to “purchase” pleasure or debauchery.
Money is a perception of value of power. The power can be used for good or for evil. It all depends on the one who has it and controls it.
We need to learn how to control money to avoid it controlling us. When God is the focus of our life and is in control of our life, we can have the power to control money.