Dangers of Financial Literacy

Jesus is the best Example of the combination of worldly wisdom and spiritual values. He, being the Ruler of all, chose for Himself such a way of life and such a social status as to be accessible to all layers of society. He could have been born in the most beautiful palace, but His choice fell on a cattle barn. His parents could have become universally recognized and influential people with an impeccable pedigree, but He chose the widowed carpenter Joseph, who had children from a previous wife, and the unknown girl Mary. Jesus, possessing Divine wisdom, could have revealed to the world of that time the secrets of electricity, quantum and nuclear physics and digital information transmission, could have taught them to build skyscrapers, airliners and large steamships, but He chose for Himself the path of a humble Teacher, whose works were passed from mouth to mouth. He did not leave the world a single photograph of Himself, not a single audio recording of His sermons, no one even took notes of His speeches, but at the same time, people have been talking about Him for about 2 thousand years and constantly find new discoveries in those few words that nevertheless reached us and have amazing power to transform life.

Jesus became an example of righteous life for both poor and rich people, both for the literate and for the ignorant. He loves both groups and desires that all turn to Him and come to repentance. It is written in Is.52:15: "So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider."

Studying the basics and laws of financial literacy, it's worth considering the dangers of this science. Wealth is not only prosperity and standard of living, but also a direct competitor to God, which claims to serve itself. It is not the poor in spirit who stand in power over nations, not poor people who arrange wars and revolutions, not those in need of bread who offer false teachings to the world. Those not in crisis are inclined to satiety and idleness.

Financial literacy makes a person wise in business relationships, it gives them knowledge in the area of monetary connections, it teaches to foresee dangers and calculate success, considering all risks and prospects. If you take away all money from a rich person, then after some time they will become rich again. And if you give a poor person many means so they become rich and lack nothing, then after some time they will become poor again. Literacy makes a person literate, successful and wise in many worldly matters. But there is danger that a literate person will begin to rely on themselves and their wisdom, attributing all glory to themselves and their ability to think extensively and trade. The most beautiful cherub once lost Heaven because of pride in his high position and, unfortunately, many literate people fall into the same trap of their significance and independence from God and, acquiring earthly riches, glory and power, lose the right to Eternal life and descend into the grave without any hope.

When teaching a child financial literacy occurs without connection to spiritual biblical values, then an image of this world is formed in consciousness and the person is more inclined to perceive material things than the spiritual component. When a person's consciousness begins to concentrate on the earthly, on the material, on accumulating and owning goods of this world to the detriment of spiritual values, then practically no place remains in life for God and living relationships with Him, but a form of these relationships is formed, which can be presented to others that it exists. Materialism closes a person's heart to spiritual values and God has no place left in the lives of such people.

Financial literacy can create an illusion of safety and security in wealth and great property. Although extreme poverty is also not something good for people. We read Prov.10:15: "The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty." When trials come into such a person's life, they will rely more on their knowledge than on God.

Great danger can also be in the fact that a knowledgeable person will begin to manipulate less literate people and use their education for personal gain or will begin to dominate those who don't understand financial matters very well.

Financial success can lead to neglect of generosity and charity. Increase of wealth can form fear of losing existing accumulations and close the heart to the needs of God's work and those who ask for help.

The desire to get rich quickly leads to the risk of investing in dubious enterprises, to risky decisions and games. And the very presence of all kinds of gambling businesses opens many temptations for those who wish to improve their material condition by easy means.

In acquiring riches there is also danger that money will begin to be perceived as meaning rather than as means and the focus of vision will shift not to investing these means in something good and useful, but to accumulating for oneself, for the sake of a greater quantity of money in one's piggy bank.

There is risk of emotional burnout in the thirst for increasing one's treasures, in the pursuit of fashion's demands and in the desire to maintain the status of a rich person. The world offers its system of values and it is very difficult to resist this influence and maintain independence for those who want to correspond to these rules. Being a slave to the system is a disease of our time, from which it is very difficult to exit without God's help.

Financial literacy without God's guidance opens paths to dishonest ways of obtaining and preserving money. Fraud, tax evasion, speculation on others' ignorance, non-payment of wages or debt obligations, building financial pyramids, deception and other problems - this is a brief list of what many educated people engage in our time.

Acquiring earthly riches can turn into sport and cause unhealthy competition in relation to other successful people. The desire to surpass others or surprise neighbors can become the main criterion in using available knowledge.

There also arises risk of becoming a victim of deception by more cunning people. If a literate person is offered complex schemes for increasing income, they may not understand the catch and rely on their perceptiveness, not asking advice from God.

If in a family one of the spouses has the basics of financial literacy, and the other doesn't want to hear anything about it and lives as they consider right, this can lead to rupture of relationships, to excessive control of family finances or alienation from each other.

Financial life will always attract the attention of a literate person and offer new knowledge, distracting them from truth and taking their personal time to increase knowledge in the world of money, calling to follow new trends and values.

A literate person not led by the Holy Spirit may lose taste for modest life and the ability to enjoy simplicity and what is given for free, not see joy in little things and not understand why love is needed when everything can be bought.

1. Please read Rev.3:17-18; 2Cor.8:9; Heb.13:5; James 2:1-9; 5:1-5; Luke 12:15; 18:25; Phil.4:12-13; Prov.11:4; 13:11; 16:8; 19:7; 21:6; 30:7-9, in light of this chapter.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

3. What did you understand from this chapter?

4. How does Jesus by His example show the correct attitude toward material values?

5. Why do rich people restore their condition after loss faster than poor people?

6. What dangers arise if a person begins to rely on their wisdom and knowledge instead of God?

7. How can financial literacy lead to pride and independence from God?

8. How to avoid forming an illusion of safety in wealth and material goods?

9. Why can increase of wealth lead to fear of loss and closedness to charity?

10. What should a rich person do to inherit Eternal Life?

11. How can a believing person preserve spiritual values while having large income?

12. Why is it important to preserve the ability to enjoy simplicity and little things, and what the Lord gives for free?

13. Why is it important to combine teaching children financial literacy with spiritual values?

14. How can the thirst for increasing wealth cause emotional burnout?