The Spirituality of Money
Rev. Erik Swanson
November 9, 2025
You can watch the entire sermon here.
As we begin our Stewardship drive this year, I find myself reflecting on a simple yet profound question: what does money mean to us? For some, it represents security, comfort, success, or opportunity. For others, it is a measure of worth or a barometer for how well life is going. Living here in Silicon Valley — surrounded by immense wealth from people like Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, and Elon Musk — our sense of “enough” can easily become distorted. Even though most of us live in relative abundance, many still struggle to meet basic needs. This year, I want us to explore the deeper meaning of money in our lives, and the spiritual truths it may reveal.
Money: An Indicator Of Our Roots
I was talking recently with someone about what happens when we see a person asking for money on the street. Often, our reflex is to tighten our grip on our purse or wallet, regardless of how much we have. Sometimes we feel judgment, sometimes compassion, sometimes guilt. These reactions are worth noticing. What happens inside when you pay taxes, when your balance drops, or when you receive an unexpected bill? Fear, frustration, or the urge to protect what’s yours? I know these feelings myself, and they make me uncomfortable — especially when I remember how much Jesus talked about money, wealth, and poverty. Money, I believe, is not the root of all evil, but it is one of the greatest indicators of our roots. It shows where our trust lies and what we value most. In that sense, money can be one of our deepest spiritual practices.
Money As A Spiritual Practice
When I view money as a spiritual practice, I see that it highlights my priorities and reveals my faith — or lack of it. It exposes what I fear, what I cling to, and where I seek security. I once had a friend who, whenever life felt uncertain, would check her stock portfolio to reassure herself that everything was okay. For her, money became a source of comfort, even more than God. I think that’s something many of us can relate to: turning to financial reassurance rather than spiritual trust.
Trust In God Over Money
This brings to mind the widow in the temple (Luke 20:45-21:4), whom Jesus praised for giving everything she had while others gave only from their abundance. Her offering cost her something real. Jesus wasn’t glorifying poverty; he was revealing how trust in God can be deeper than our dependence on wealth. I don’t believe God is asking us to give everything away, but I do believe God asks us to give our whole selves — to live openhandedly, not withholding parts of our lives, including our finances, from divine relationship. When we let money define our worth, it distances us from that wholeness God desires for us.
I also recognize that the church has not always handled money well. Too often, people have been guilted or shamed into giving, and funds have been misused or turned toward self-promotion rather than service. For those who have been hurt by that, I am sorry. The church’s failures have often obscured the true spiritual invitation that money offers us.
Let God Into Our Financial Lives
Our Stewardship drive is not about how much you give to Westhope — it’s about joining together to sustain this ministry faithfully. Your offering makes our shared life possible. The Stewardship committee works diligently to steward every dollar wisely, transparently, and responsibly. But beyond the practical side, this season is an invitation: to let God into our financial lives, to reflect deeply on how money shapes us, and to discover in that reflection a more grounded trust in the One who is our Source and Foundation. My prayer is that through this, we not only support our church but also continue to grow in awareness, generosity, and spiritual wholeness. Amen.