Feb 23 2009
Money: Burden or Blessing?
This review first appeared in Faith Today, September / October, 2008.
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Money: Burden or Blessing?
Donald A. Leggett
Toronto: Clements Publishing, 2007
ISBN: 1894667867
Money is a powerful force in our society, and as the title of this book suggests, it can be both a burden and a blessing. Wealth carries “peculiar temptations” and “often competes with God for our attention and energy.”
Leggett packs quite a bit in this brief 70 page study. He surveys both the Old and New Testaments for teaching on the blessings and burdens of wealth; provides a critical evaluation of the “prosperity gospel”; gives particular attention to the teaching of both Jesus and Paul regarding wealth; and offers helpful counsel on how Christians should approach charitable giving.
Of particular interest to readers will be Leggett’s critical look at the “prosperity gospel” so prevalent in North American Christianity. He concludes that there is scant evidence for the view that God wants everyone to prosper financially. For example, Leggett writes that “the prayer of Agur [Proverbs 30:8-9], where he pleads with God requesting neither wealth nor poverty, cannot be reconciled with the gospel of affluence.”
An excellent set of study questions for each of the chapters makes this book a great choice for a small group study or adult elective in a Adult Bible study class. And for those who find this book has whetted their appetite for more, Leggett provides a recommended reading list for further study.
Hopefully this little volume will find its way into the hands of many Christians who struggle with their relationship to money.