More Than Money

Is money good or bad?

by M. Atherton (revised, originally published in 2004)

Suitable for Whole School (Sec)

Aims

To consider that wealth is more than just money.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (More Than Money) and the means to display them.

Assembly

1. Show Slide 1.
   
   Ask the students to read the list and select the three things that are most important to them.
   
   
2. Now ask the students to consider whether the things on their ‘important’ list all need money to acquire.
   
   Ask the students, ‘Do we need money to make us happy?’
   
   
3. Work down the list, pointing out which things depend on the availability of money and which don’t. Some of the examples are slightly ambiguous in that, for example, good health requires money for healthy food, but in many senses does not depend on having money.
   
   Depending on the size of group present, you may wish to ask the students to discuss the list with those sitting close to them.
   
   
4. Ask the students whether they have heard the phrase ‘money is the root of all evil’. What do they think it means? Do they think that it’s true?
   
   
5. Show Slide 2.
   
   Point out that we can do some great things with money, but we can also do some bad things with it. For example, money can provide health services, be given to help people less fortunate than ourselves, buy food and clothes that we need and buy gifts for friends and family. However, money can also be used to buy drugs or weapons, exploit the poor and make bribes.

Time for reflection

Show Slide 3.

Read the passage from 1 Timothy 6.6–10.

Point out that Paul, the person who wrote these words, didn’t say that money was bad. He said that the love of money could cause harm.

Even 2,000 years ago, there was still the problem of people wanting more and more possessions.

Do we need to think about what we value most in our lives? If we stop to think about it, the things that we value most probably don’t cost any money! Things like friendship, love of family . . .

Let’s not get so absorbed by money that we become selfish and ungenerous.

Spend a few quiet moments encouraging the students to think about their attitude towards possessions or money.

Encourage them to identify someone who matters to them and to make it clear to that person today.

Song/music

‘Money, money, money’ by Abba, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETxmCCsMoD0