The United States issued paper money in 1862.

Paper money was first issued during the Revolutionary War by colonial governments. While some of the money was readily accepted in exchange for goods, other bills were not. During the war, the Continental Congress issued bills called “Continentals.” But with no firm backing for the money, these bills essentially became worthless. As George Washington put it, “A wagonload of currency will hardly purchase a wagonload of provisions.”

It wasn’t until 1862 that the federal government issued Legal Tender Notes, also known as United States Notes. These new notes—issued in denominations from $1 to $1,000 (later $5,000 and $10,000)—were the first national currency used as legal tender for most public and private debts. Then in 1913, the Federal Reserve Act was passed to regulate the flow of money and stabilize the economy. These Federal Reserve Notes issued in 1914 make up more than 99 percent of today’s paper money.

Today, we value money for what it is able to purchase for us. People trust in their wealth to buy what they need and more—houses and cars, clothing, food, luxury items. We all understand and speak the language of money in our culture.

But King Solomon recognized an important truth: We can easily get trapped into trusting and depending on our money to meet our needs rather than God. We use money daily to solve our problems. Often it’s the easiest way to get what we want. Money is necessary for survival, but if we begin to love money more than God and depend on it to meet our every need, then we will soon run into trouble. People who build their lives on money rather than God soon discover that they have nothing in their spiritual banks.

Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it’s important to know that only wisdom can save your life. (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

To do

Take out a bill and look for the motto “In God we trust.” Think of all the different ways you should trust in God rather than in money.

Also on this day . . .

515 BC—The building of the great Jewish temple in Jerusalem was completed.

1880—The Salvation Army arrived in the United States from England.

1986—The Wrigley Company of Chicago raised the price of its seven-stick pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum from a quarter to 30 cents.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.