Pastor, Can I Enjoy My Wealth and Honor God?

Dear Pastor Mike:

Can I enjoy my wealth and honor God?

Dear Pastor Mike,

I am a passionate Christian, and God has blessed me with business success. I tithe regularly and give generously to special projects. Is it wrong to enjoy my wealth on personal things? Honestly, I’ve been eyeing a specific car—something absurdly fast.

Answer:

Lol… “absurdly fast.”

First off, I’d humbly suggest letting your pastor take that “absurdly fast” car for a spin—purely for research purposes, of course.

On a serious note, it sounds like you’ve already thought deeply about important financial principles like avoiding debt, tithing, offerings, and practicing generosity. So rather than revisiting the basics, let me offer a few broader reflections on wealth:

Money Magnifies

Think of money not as a thing, but as a power—a force that amplifies what’s already inside you. Imagine the Bat-Signal from the 1990s: when the lamp is off, the symbol is there, but it’s hidden. Add power, and suddenly that signal shines brightly for all to see. That’s what money does.

So the question isn’t just, What are you doing with your wealth? but also, What is your wealth making famous about you? As God blesses you and your “signal” glows brighter, ask yourself: what values or priorities are being magnified for others to see? Money will magnify what’s already in you, good or bad.

Are You Overdressed for the Party?

Picture this: you’re invited to a backyard party by an old high school friend. When you arrive, everyone’s wearing Levi’s, a casual button-up, and Target sneakers. As you go in for a bro-hug, you catch a whiff of your friend’s Nautica cologne. In every way, it’s a simple suburban gathering.

Then you catch your reflection in a mirror and remember you’re wearing a Stuart Hughes Diamond Edition suit—worth more than all the cars parked outside combined. Sure, you’re debt-free, while some of the other guests might still be making payments on the new iPhones in their pockets. By principle, you’re honoring God with your finances more than they are. Even still, you may be overdressed for the mission God has placed before you.

Sometimes, the finest things are appropriate for certain contexts. But there are also moments when your opulence can create distance rather than connection.

One of the great themes of Scripture is incarnational reconciliation—God coming down to meet us where we are, humbling Himself to win our hearts. In my experience, wealthy Christians often reach a point where they think, “I’m overdressed for the people God put before me, and there are also people who have no clothes at all.”

See, I’m not asking if you are honoring God in principle; I’m asking if you are matching Jesus in His method of mission.

The Heart of Generosity

For most generous Christian entrepreneurs I’ve met, giving isn’t about following a rule—it’s about radiating something greater: the self-giving love of God. When that desire takes root, it’s no longer about whether you can afford the car; it’s about wanting your wealth to tell a story of God’s charity, not just your success. Can you enjoy your wealth and honor God? Yes, but how you define "enjoy" will mature as you do.

That said, if you do get the “absurdly fast” car, be sure to stop by. I’d love to take it for a spin (for purely theological reflection, of course).

Blessings,

Pastor Mike