Movies, and most other media, paint the picture that money is the solution to all your problems. "If you have more money, everything will be better."

That is not true.

In fact, money, if handled and perceived incorrectly, can destroy people. Here are five ways money can destroy in the hands of the wrong person:

1. Money can give a false sense of security. Jesus rebuked the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:17 because they were cold toward Him, thinking they were OK because they had wealth.
2. Money can cause people to worry about a need for more. Jesus said that our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions (Luke 12:15).
3. Some people in their greed for more money will compromise to gain. What they compromise to gain, they will have to compromise to keep, but they will eventually lose it all (Prov. 13:11).
4. When people have money, they often worry about losing it. The money they thought would give peace of mind now enslaves them to fear.
5. Love of money can choke God's Word from being fruitful in our lives (Matt. 13:22).

Money isn't a bad thing. In fact, it can prove to be a powerful tool for good in the hands of the right person. Make sure you aren't destroyed by the five misconceptions of money.

Four Priority Checkups You Can Do
Take this little test to see if you are balanced in your views of money:

1. When you're undercharged $20 at the store, do you return the extra money?
2. You see someone drop their wallet. You open it to find $500 cash. Do you quickly flag the person down to return it?
3. When you receive any money, do you always set 10 percent aside for God? Are you excited to bring it to church and give Him your tithes?
4. You see a friend in a financial crisis and you feel a prompt in your heart to give him or her your last $25. Do you do it?

Total your "yes" and "no" answers and rate how you handle money:

• Four "yes" answers: you're doing great.
• Three "yes" answers: you are on your way to financial greatness—keep improving.
• Two "yes" answers: your character with money is weak; your financial future isn't looking too bright.
• One "yes" answer: keep your day job; you're taking a tough financial road.
• Zero "yes" answers: you're a scrooge and on a highway to poverty.

Source: Every Teenager's Little Black Book
of Hard to Find Information
by Blaine Bartel.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers