Money Can't Buy Happiness, But Management Can

23Let’s talk about money and happiness for a minute. It seems these days our society is trying to convince us that having more will bring us happiness. “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."”Luke 16:13 The truth is that there is a connection between happiness and money. Most of us think the connection is the word more. If I had more money, I would be happier. But how much more money would it take to make you happy? No matter how much you have, your answer will always be the same: more than you currently have. It’s like dirt bikes and other toys, the correct number to own is the current number you have plus one...but I digress. The connection between happiness and money isn’t more; it’s manage. It’s not how much you have, but how you manage what you have that determines whether you’re going to be happy in regards to money. In other words, money can contribute to your happiness if you manage it well.When your focus is on more as it relates to your money, earning more, saving more, buying more, money is your “master.” Jesus offers an alternative: Let God be the master of your money. So, what does that look like? The answer is just three words: give, save, live. To manage your money God’s way, the way that will ultimately make you happy, give some of it away first, save some of it second, and live on the rest. Giving will bring you joy, saving will bring you peace, and living on the rest will bring you freedom. You know what won’t bring you joy, peace, or freedom? Three different words: discontentment, debt, and greed. Be Nice. Grace Wins.