p. 8 | The Silver and Gold Belong to God by B. E. PINES

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 21, 1915

The Silver and Gold Belong to God

By B. E. PINES

B. E. PINES

“THE silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:8. Therefore every coin we possess is literally our Lord’s money.

The question may then arise, Are we never to spend anything on ourselves? — We are. We must consider the fact that the Lord has given us our bodies as a special personal charge; and we are responsible for the keeping of these bodies, according to the means given us.

We are to spend what is really needful on ourselves, because it is our charge to do so; but not for ourselves, because we are not our own, but our blessed Master’s.

He who knows our frame, knows its need of rest, medicine, food, and clothing; and in procuring these necessities for our own intrusted bodies, we ought to be very cautious that we do so as we should if we were to have the greater pleasure of procuring them for some one else.

Therefore we cannot consider that consecration is real, full, and complete so long as we look upon a single cent as our own to do with as we like.

It matters not whether we spend dimes or dollars, it is all our Lord’s money, and must not be spent without reference to him, the Giver of all things. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.” Acts 17:25.

We should continually ask him to take and keep our intrusted money, and to direct in our purchases. Then our shopping would be different. We should look up to our Lord for guidance that we may spend his money prudently and rightly, not lavishly or extravagantly. By his guidance the gift or garment is selected conscientiously, under his eye and with conscious reference to him as our own dear Master, for whose sake we shall give it, or in whose service we shall wear it; for it is with his own silver and gold that we pay for it.