What is money? Money is a tangible representation of value. What is work? Work is the production of value through directed energy. Money is earned by trading the value of work for the value of money.

How can one make more money than they currently do? By producing more value than they currently do. How could one produce more value than they currently do? By refining existing skills, developing new skills, and/or employing any means that results in an increase of efficiency. Why would someone want to produce more value than they currently do? By giving value to those around them, people imitate in an imperfect but profound way, the actions of their Creator, thus bringing glory to Him and satisfaction to their own souls, as when God looked upon His own work and called it “good.” Even before God created the first woman because “it wasn’t good for man to be alone,” God gave work to the first man. There is a deep satisfaction that doing good work brings that can’t be found elsewhere; in a sense, work is its own reward. In all labor there is profit (Proverbs 14:23). Man was created for productive work, and without it, he will most likely not be happy, or morally healthy. Another reason that someone would want to produce more value for those around them is so that they can receive money in return for their value, and be able to trade their money for resources that they need to survive, or resources that they want to enjoy. A third reason why someone would want to produce more value is so that they can do good to others with their earned money. “The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.” (Ephesians 4:28) Other motivations for producing more value would include earning money to save for a future time when one may want or need to spend it; or, earning money to invest in their own business, skill-development, or the business or skill-development of another.

Is it morally good to earn money? It is morally good to want to give as much value to others as you possibly can through work and money. The counsel of scripture is “when riches increases, do not set your heart on them.” Having a lot of money can be dangerous because money’s value is powerful - and power can naturally corrupt the heart of man when his heart is set on it. If one wishes to resist the corruption of this power, He must resist the temptation to “set his heart” on money; he must resist the temptation of “trusting in uncertain riches.” He can only do this by trusting the Lord. If he does, this trust will manifest itself in a love for and faithfulness to God that will animate his actions. A rich man who is trusting the Lord will, with cheer and wise discernment, give some of his resources away; this act exerts a purifying influence upon his character (Luke 11:41). He will fear the Lord, knowing that no one can serve two masters, and will heed the wisdom of the ancient prayer, “give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with my portion, lest I be full and deny Thee and say ‘who is the Lord,’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane God’s name.” Paul, the apostle, said that he “knew how to be abased and how to abound,” it was in this context that we find the wonderful and familiar declaration, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

“The blessing of the Lord makes rich and He adds no sorrow to it.” When our lives are submitted to God and His commands, He promises to bless us and take care of our needs. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you”. I think that the blessing of God upon the work of our hands generally consists of the following: productive work, appropriate rest, enough resources to meet our needs, enough resources to give to others, and a peaceful trust in God that permeates our homes and hearts. There will be times of little and times of much, but through it all, our hearts will be fixed trusting the Lord, as we store up treasure in Heaven where neither moth or rust destroy, nor thieves break in and steal.