Few people who are single imagine themselves married to a poor person, and rightly so. God does not want us to have a miserable life, but their bank account shouldn’t be a criteria for choosing a partner.

Living according to the expectations of this world is expensive. They expect both partners to have a car, a nice house, the children should be enrolled in extracurricular activities, and the whole family should go on a trip or two per year. Add on restaurants, various activities, televisions and computers… all of this is expensive! If we keep this model in mind when we look for a future husband or wife, we may discard several good potential matches simply to live this worldly lifestyle.

So what does God says about money? In Luke 16, Jesus describes money as a way to make friends, business contacts, or to help the poor. It’s ok to buy a house or nice clothes. Many theologians say that Jesus wore fashionable clothes for his time, but Jesus never run after wealth. You don’t need much money to have a happy marriage.

Many women want a man who will be the family breadwinner. However, the idea that men have the monetary responsibility of the family is not a commandment of God. Yes, 1 Timothy 5.8 says that men should provide for their family, and several verses denounce laziness, but nowhere in the bible does it say that the man must be the only provider. In Proverbs 31 we read about a business woman who works hard to support her family. To have extra peace of mind for the family it’s useful to have at least one of the two partners with a stable income. It’s of little importance whether it is the woman or the man that is the source of income. If a single woman has a steady income, it shouldn’t rule out a potential match because of his income. So long as he isn’t lazy.

When two people marry, they commit themselves in poverty and prosperity. So it is possible to live through times of poverty. The apostle Paul also had moments of need and moments of abundance (Phil 4:12). However, all the possessions that money can buy will eventually disappear. God wants you to use your money to serve, and not to please yourself! So don’t place someone’s bank account on your list of criteria. “And MY GOD will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4.19 NIV)