Lydia Jenkins reviews Money in the Light of Eternity: What the Bible Says about Your Financial Purpose
We live in a fast-paced, competitive world where idioms about money feel more accurate than ever. ‘Money makes the world go round’, ‘time is money’, ‘giving someone a run for their money’. So, as Christians, we must talk about it. We need to allow ourselves to be challenged about our generosity, our tendency to hold on to what is ‘ours’ and, if you’re anything like me, our temptation to associate our wages with our worth. This is what Art Rainer’s book, Money in the Light of Eternity, can encourage us to do.
Right from the start, Rainer doesn’t shy away from noting that the book isn’t ultimately about money, but ‘about your heart and what it truly means to be generous’. He notes in his introduction, ‘My sole purpose in writing this is to give you a very significant, life-changing gift. God doesn’t want your money. He wants your heart.’ Here, Rainer is touching on a cultural tendency where many Christians run from discussions about their finances and church leaders can also be nervous to raise them.
I would argue that the book is split into two sections. The first four chapters would serve both the church leader and the individual as they challenge heart attitudes around money. These include getting a sense of God’s wider and eternal purpose, how gratitude is the key to life and how God owns everything. I was personally struck by Rainer’s reference to the rich man in Matthew 6 and the poignancy of this question: ‘Are you willing to let go? God may not prompt you to give away every earthly possession, but are you willing to hold loosely the things of this world so that you can fully grasp the things of God?’ This is something I believe every Christian needs to be considering as it reveals the state, not of your finances, but of your heart. As a result, this first section contains strong discipleship material, especially in a time when financial stresses are prevalent for many of us.
These challenging chapters prelude the book’s second section which focuses mainly on giving. Rainer not only takes readers through (with scriptural references) why we should give, but how we should give. Again, we circle back to the heart. In lots of ways, the book would be a fantastic resource for a church Bible study or focus group. This purpose for the book would be further complemented by the ‘Where do we go from here?’ snippets at the end of each chapter. Readers are given three or four reflective questions, some encouraging a read through Scripture, while others force a personal examination of heart.
As this book dives into topics such as success, contentment and satisfaction, I think it would have a wide appeal; particularly to younger generations of Christians, who might be seeking those things but have never been taught the eternal value of gratitude and generosity. Rainer closes the book with statements such as this: ‘Your generosity can contribute to changing another person’s heart for eternity.’ The spiritual connection between our heart and our money is so clearly shown and challenges readers to realise two things: first, that our unhealthy view of money can hold us back from God’s calling for our lives; and second, that it stops us from being generous with each other.
The book has a simple message while advising how to prayerfully receive it: we need to prioritise our heart over money.
Together Magazine
Together is the Christian resources magazine for the UK, with stories of what God is doing across the church today, book reviews and publishing industry news. Subscribe now at www.togethermagazine.org.