Money Makes A Terrible Master

By Tabitha Keith, Director of Programs, Heart for Winter Haven

Every person serves something.

Some people serve success. Some serve comfort. Some serve approval. And many people, whether rich or poor, end up serving money.

Money itself is not evil. Money can help people buy food, pay bills, care for family, give generously, and build stability. Money is a tool. But tools can become masters when people begin trusting them more than God.

Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24

That verse is important because Jesus was not only talking to rich people. Anyone can worship money. A wealthy person can worship money by becoming greedy, proud, or obsessed with status. A struggling person can worship money by believing: “If I just had more money, all my problems would disappear.”

Both mindsets place hope in money instead of God.

Our culture constantly teaches people that money will save them. Advertisements tell people they need more to be happy. Social media tells people success should look expensive. Hustle culture tells people their worth comes from productivity. Consumer culture tells people to buy now and worry later.

The message is everywhere: More money equals more value. More money equals more peace. More money equals more freedom.

But many people who finally get more money still feel empty, anxious, lonely, exhausted, or afraid. Why? Because money can solve some problems, but it cannot heal the human heart.

Money can buy a house. It cannot create peace inside the home.

Money can buy attention.  It cannot create real love.

Money can buy comfort. It cannot remove fear.

Money can buy entertainment. It cannot create purpose.

That is why money makes a terrible master. It always promises more than it can actually give.

Some people spend their whole lives chasing a number they think will finally make them feel safe. But the number keeps moving. Enough never feels like enough. There is always a bigger house, newer car, nicer vacation, or higher paycheck to pursue.

Greed rarely announces itself loudly. Sometimes it hides behind phrases like: “I’m just trying to get ahead.” “I just want security.” “I just want a better life.”

Those desires are not always wrong. Wanting stability is not sinful. Working hard is not sinful. Building wealth wisely is not sinful. The problem starts when money becomes the thing people trust most.

When money becomes the center of life, people often begin sacrificing things that matter more:
their health, their marriage, their children, their peace, their integrity, their relationship with God.

Work becomes nonstop. Rest disappears. Generosity becomes difficult. Comparison grows. Fear increases. And people slowly become controlled by the very thing they hoped would free them.

The Bible warns people about this because God loves people. He knows money is powerful. He knows people are easily tempted to build their identity around success, possessions, or status.

But God never intended money to carry the weight of being someone’s savior. Only God can do that.

At Heart for Winter Haven, we see people from every background struggle with financial pressure. Some are trying to survive. Others are trapped in debt. Others are exhausted from constantly trying to maintain an image of success. Financial stress affects people emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and relationally.

That is why financial health is about more than budgets and bank accounts. It is also about the heart.

Programs like Faith & Finances help people learn practical financial skills, but they also help people think differently about money itself. Because lasting financial change is not only about learning math. Sometimes it begins with learning contentment, wisdom, patience, generosity, and trust.

Money is a useful tool. But it is a terrible god.

A healthy financial life is not built on obsession, fear, greed, or comparison. It is built on stewardship. Stewardship means recognizing that everything ultimately belongs to God, and we are called to manage resources wisely, not worship them.

Real freedom is not found in having unlimited money. Real freedom is found in not being controlled by it.

What would change in your life if money stopped being your source of identity, peace, or security?

Interested in learning more about financial wellness and Faith & Finances classes at Heart for Winter Haven? Visit www.heart4wh.org/elevate