the snake in your bed (part 2 of 4)

Last week we discussed my friend’s metaphor of wealth: a snake. Today we’ll address the tension of how two wealthy men in the Bible responded totally differently to Jesus’ invitation.

but is wealth really a snake?

Here’s my honest problem with the metaphor: a snake in your bed is only a threat. There is no version of the story where the man and the snake coexist well. The only winning move is to never have owned the snake in the first place.

And while it rightly captures the dangers of wealth, if that’s where your theology of wealth ends, you’ve got a problem. There’s another half of the metaphor that’s missing.

Scripture doesn’t treat wealth as a predator. Deuteronomy 8:18 says it plainly: “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

God gave you that ability. On purpose.

If God is the one who gives me the ability to produce wealth, what do I think he intended for me to do with it?

Global missions run on money. Medical care costs money. Raising a family, building a business that honors God, supporting your church, caring for the poor -- all of it is powered by wealth generation. These aren’t the side effects of sleeping with a snake. They’re the fruit of something God designed.

So wealth isn’t necessarily a snake, but it’s by no means neutral.

I’ve described wealth like the sun. It’s magnetic. It draws you in. Get too close and you’ll burn up -- that’s the rich young ruler. But pull too far away and you’ll miss the warmth and light God intended for your life. God made wine and oil to gladden the heart of man. Enjoyment isn’t the enemy.

Or think of it like manure. (Stay with me.) Spread wealth around and everything it touches grows healthier. Hoard it in one place and you’re sitting on a toxic pile that breeds disease.

The snake metaphor gets the danger right. Wealth can definitely be dangerous. Serving it is. Loving it is. Hoarding it is. We are easily drawn to it, impressed by it, and most of us commit our lives to accumulating it. But the metaphor misses the other half of the truth: wealth is a tool, and in the hands of someone surrendered to God, it can be leveraged for eternal impact.

In my orbit around wealth, am I drawing too close to its warmth and comfort? Have I been diligent to spread the fertilizer of my wealth around so that it might bring life and refreshment to others?

the man who loved his snake

The story goes that there was a man who owned a pet snake.

It was kind of the passion of his life. He loved this animal. And his deeply held conviction was simple: if you love the snake, the snake will love you back.

So he slept with it. Every night. In his bed.

Years went by.

And then one night, while he was sleeping, the snake killed him.

An expert later explained what actually happened. The snake was never his friend. It was never returning the affection. It was simply waiting until it was big enough that it was sure it could kill him.

big enough to kill

That’s your investment account.

That’s the application from a friend of mine -- also a financial advisor -- who uses the story to illustrate the dangers of wealth.

Think about it.

When you start off, it’s innocuous. You put 10% of your paycheck into a 401(k). Year after year. It’s just what responsible people do. You barely think about it.

And then one day you’re 55 or 60 and you look up and there’s a number on the screen that would have been unimaginable to your 25-year-old self.

And now ...the snake is big enough to kill you.

Have you ever stopped to consider whether your wealth is serving you... or slowly becoming your master?

the warnings are real

Jesus was remarkably blunt about money. He didn’t dance around it.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13)

Paul echoed the warning: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

Pierced themselves. That language is violent on purpose.

And the Gospels give us a devastating side-by-side. In Matthew 19, a rich young man asks Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. The man walked away sad, because he had great wealth. The snake was already big enough.

But in Luke 19, there’s Zacchaeus. Wealthy. Corrupt. And yet when Jesus enters his life, he stands up and gives away more than half of everything he had. Voluntarily. Joyfully.

Same Jesus. Same invitation. Two completely different responses.

This is where the snake metaphor breaks down a little bit. Why did the rich man succumb to the death blow of his wealth while Zacchaeus somehow escaped the coils of the snake as it attempted to tighten around him? We’ll explore that tension further in next week’s newsletter.

How would you describe your relationship with money right now -- and is that the relationship you actually want? Would it change if you believed it was never really yours to begin with?

A few housekeeping updates for the One Degree Podcast.

When people ask what I do for a living, the easiest answer is “financial planner.”

But that description never quite captures what actually happens in the work.

Yes, there’s investment planning, tax strategy, and retirement projections. Sometimes there’s even the occasional trade execution. But a surprising amount of the work is something deeper and harder to name:

Helping people form a philosophy of money.

Most of us inherit our ideas about money without realizing it. Culture, media, peers, and the financial system itself quietly shape our assumptions about wealth, success, lifestyle, and retirement. Over time, those assumptions become the foundation for how we earn, spend, save, and give.

In this episode, we explore a bigger question: What is the “good life”?

Drawing from ideas in Jonathan Pennington’s book Jesus the Great Philosopher, we look at how ancient philosophy was originally about the pursuit of human flourishing—the search for wisdom and the good life.

For Christians, that conversation leads somewhere specific. If Jesus truly shows us what the good life is, then our financial decisions aren’t separate from discipleship. They’re part of it.

We’ll also discuss a practical exercise called financial finish lines, a simple way to think more intentionally about lifestyle, spending, and what “enough” might look like.

Because money is never neutral.

Over time, it quietly shapes our habits, our priorities, and ultimately our hearts.

Resources mentioned

Finish Line Pledge tool:https://www.finishlinepledge.com/advisors/

Book referenced:Jesus the Great Philosopher — Jonathan T. Pennington

When the Bible talks about debt, it’s rarely about interest rates or payment schedules. It’s almost always about something deeper.

In this episode, we explore what Scripture actually teaches about borrowing and lending through three recurring themes: presumption, power dynamics, and posture.

We walk through Proverbs’ strong warnings against guaranteeing someone else’s debt, unpack why predatory lending is ultimately a misuse of power, and wrestle with the surprising truth that Scripture does affirm lending—but only when it flows from generosity, mercy, and trust rather than control.

This is the upside-down economy of the Kingdom. An invitation to steward money in a way that reflects the heart of a God who is kind, merciful, and generous—even to the ungrateful.

The One Degree Podcast is brought to you by Openhanded Wealth, LLC, a registered investment adviser in Holly Springs, GA, serving Christian families and small business owners. This content is educational only and should not be taken as financial, tax, or legal advice.

“whatever gifts I have received from God, may I use them to serve others, as a faithful steward of God’s varied grace." — 1 Peter 4: 10

🌐openhandedwealth.com/podcast

In this episode, we explore a timeless metaphor from St. Bernard of Clairvaux about living as reservoirs rather than canals—filling ourselves first before giving from overflow.

We discuss the intersection of biblical generosity, financial wisdom, and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes faithful stewardship means adjusting our giving.

Through client stories and scriptural reflection, we examine what it means to give wisely in changing seasons, why limits are part of God's design, and how provision has never been our responsibility to bear alone.

If you’re self-employed, in sales, or running a small business, you know the budgeting struggle is real. But inconsistent income doesn’t mean you’re off the hook — it just means you need a smarter plan.

Nick shares a four-part framework inspired by YNAB (You Need a Budget) and shaped by real-world experience:

1. Only budget dollars you have — no guessing games.
2. Prioritize spending by what matters most (including giving and saving).
3. Break big, rare expenses into monthly habits.
4. Build a buffer during your "hill" months to survive the valleys.

This episode is packed with practical help, biblical stewardship, and avocado jokes. (Seriously.)

🛠️ Tool Mentioned: YNAB’s guide to irregular income

📩 Want help building your own budget? Reach out via openhandedwealth.com/onedegree

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🌐openhandedwealth.com

I want to use whatever gifts I have received to serve others, as a faithful steward of God’s grace in its various forms. — 1 Peter 4: 10

Openhanded Wealth, LLC is a registered investment adviser in Holly Springs, GA, serving Christian families and small business owners. This content is educational only and should not be taken as financial, tax, or legal advice.

In this episode, Nick reflects on the final chapters of Practicing the King’s Economy and how the Bible’s vision of rest is radically different from our hustle culture. He shares five real-world reasons why rest feels impossible — including the “reentry tax,” productivity identity, and the sheer effort it takes to prepare.

We explore:

• Why biblical rest requires intentionality and community
• The psychological hurdles that keep us “too busy”
• What the Year of Jubilee might teach modern business owners
• How rest can become a regular, life-giving rhythm — not just a reward for burnout

📖 Referenced Book: Practicing the King’s Economy by Robby Holt, Michael Rhodes, and Brian Fikkert

📺 Mentioned Show: Alone, Season 11 (History Channel)

👉 Got a question for Nick? Ask it here: openhandedwealth.com/onedegree

💬 Like what you heard? Leave a review — it helps the show reach more people!

🌐openhandedwealth.com

I want to use whatever gifts I have received to serve others, as a faithful steward of God’s grace in its various forms. — 1 Peter 4: 10

Openhanded Wealth, LLC is a registered investment adviser in Holly Springs, GA, serving Christian families and small business owners. This content is educational only and should not be taken as financial, tax, or legal advice.