“The Gospel-Filled Wallet” A Review

I have always enjoyed Jeff Weddle’s blog.  I love his challenging and straightforward style.  But when I was first offered the opportunity to review his new book, “The Gospel-Filled Wallet: What the Bible Really Says about Money,” I hesitated only because of committing the time.  I was afraid I might not get around to doing it.

Then I went and read the first chapter online, “I Think I Hate God.”  I immediately agreed and requested my copy and read the short book in a brief amount of time.

Jesus’ teachings on money, wealth, and greed seem to be the first ones we try to explain away, rationalize, dilute.  Jeff doesn’t do any of that.  He gives examples of Christian writings on money that do that but mainly allows God’s Word to speak for itself.

The fact that we are so repulsed by some of these teachings and immediately try to justify our contrary practices should be evidence enough that we need to re-read the Bible with fresh eyes and Jeff helps us do just that.

This book is less than a hundred pages.  It is easy to read yet painful at the same time.  The same prophetic, counter-cultural voice that I enjoy from his blog is everywhere in this book.

I have heard professors and authors often say that it’s not the hard-to-understand passages in scripture that cause us problems, it’s the easy to understand yet hard to live scriptures that truly trouble us.

We need to be troubled.  We are the “comfortable who need to be afflicted.”

Even though I was encouraged by author and publisher to be honest–they were not asking for a positive review, just a review–I can in good conscience, maybe in stricken-conscience, recommend this book.  A paper copy is inexpensive and you can even download a free copy.

I pray for a change in our churches concerning greed and materialism.  We have baptized our idols and need to hear what the Lord says.  I thank Jeff for this book, which can be of great help and blessing.

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