Month Theme: Correcting Current Trends

Topic: There Is No Love Without Money

Facilitator: Mr. Abiodun Salami

6th September 2026

“Love is a beautiful thing. It is also one of the most mysterious experiences of human life. Sometimes, we cannot even explain how we fall in love.”

Celine Dion: Have you ever been in love

Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On (Titanic)

Brandy - Have you ever

“I remember those days when songs like the above made me long for love—even when I had no money.” 😄

“But let us be honest tonight… can love really exist without money?”

CAN THERE BE LOVE WITHOUT MONEY?

• Can money buy love?

• Can money buy genuine feelings?

• Does giving someone money prove that you love them?

• Can we have money and still be unhappy?

• Can we have love and still be unhappy?

• Which is more important to human life—love or money?

Tonight, we are not trying to fight LOVE against MONEY. We want to understand them separately before we understand how they work together.

PART TWO: LET US TALK ABOUT LOVE

What Is Love?

Love can be described as:

A deep and strong feeling of affection, care and concern for another person.

But here is an important question:

Are feelings the same as love?

Not necessarily.

Feelings may be the spark, but feelings alone are not the strength that sustains love.

Feelings can change.

You can wake up feeling excited about someone today and feel differently tomorrow.

Therefore:

Feelings may introduce us to love, but commitment is what sustains love.

HOW DO WE EXPERIENCE LOVE?

1. Love as a Feeling

Love can produce:

• Joy

• Warmth

• Attraction

• Safety

• Happiness

• Emotional connection

You may feel excited when you see or think about someone.

But feelings alone are not enough.

2. Love as an Action

Love is demonstrated.

It means:

• Showing kindness

• Caring for another person

• Helping them grow

• Supporting them

• Being present

• Making sacrifices

Love is not only what you feel. Love is also what you do.

3. Love as a Choice

This is where mature love begins.

Love is choosing to:

• Care

• Respect

• Remain faithful

• Communicate

• Support one another

Even when life becomes difficult.

Feelings may bring two people together, but choice and commitment help them stay together.

PART THREE: THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF LOVE

The Bible says:

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
— 1 John 4:8

Love originates from God.

Biblical love involves:

• Affection

• Compassion

• Care

• Selflessness

• Sacrifice

True love is not completely self-focused.

Selfish love asks: “What can I get from you?”

But genuine love asks:

“What can I do for you?”

TYPES OF LOVE

For this discussion, we can broadly look at love in two dimensions:

1. Natural Love

Natural love is often influenced by:

• Feelings

• Attraction

• Relationships

• Physical appearance

• Personal interests

• Compatibility

Some forms include:

Storge

Natural family affection.

Pragma

Practical and enduring love built on patience, commitment and duty, especially important in long-term relationships and marriage.

Ludus

Playful and flirtatious love.

Philautia

Self-love. This can be healthy self-esteem or unhealthy selfishness.

Mania

Obsessive or unhealthy love that can become emotionally unstable.

2. Supernatural Love – AGAPE

Agape is:

• Unconditional

• Selfless

• Sacrificial

• Giving

It reflects God's kind of love.

Natural love may ask, “Do I still feel something?”

But Agape asks:

“What is the right thing to do, even when it costs me something?”

INGREDIENTS OF HEALTHY LOVE

Whether there is plenty of money or little money, healthy love needs certain foundations.

Character and Values

• Loyalty

• Kindness

• Respect

• Integrity

• Emotional maturity

Effort and Responsibility

Love requires:

• Showing up

• Honest communication

• Keeping promises

• Taking responsibility

Emotional Support

Sometimes love grows through:

• Listening

• Emotional safety

• Reliability

• Quality time

• Deep care

Ambition and Effort

This is important!

People are often attracted not only to what someone currently has, but also to:

• Their drive

• Their hard work

• Their discipline

• Their vision

• Their willingness to grow

A person may not have money today, but they should have direction.

That is different from having neither money nor responsibility nor ambition.

CLASS DISCUSSION

1. Is there a difference between LOVE and TRUE LOVE?

If yes:

2. How can we differentiate between them?

My answer:

Love may begin with emotion, but true love survives through character, commitment, sacrifice and responsibility.

PART FOUR: LET US TALK ABOUT MONEY

Now that we have discussed love, let us talk about money.

Money is more than a medium of exchange.

In modern society, money has become a powerful influence on:

• Our lifestyle

• Our choices

• Our opportunities

• Our security

• Our future

WHY IS MONEY IMPORTANT?

1. Money Meets Basic Needs

Money helps provide:

• Food

• Shelter

• Clothing

• Healthcare

• Education

Without resources, life can become a constant struggle.

2. Money Helps Us Pursue Dreams

Money can help people:

• Go to school

• Build businesses

• Develop skills

• Support their children

• Pursue opportunities

Money can give opportunity to talent.

3. Money Provides Freedom

When properly managed, money can:

• Reduce pressure

• Create opportunities

• Give people choices

• Provide stability

But here is an important truth:

Having money makes many things easier, but it does not automatically make life happier.

IS MONEY THE SUPREME NEED OF HUMANITY?

Sometimes I ask myself:

“Is this what life being all about—to earn money?”

We live in a world where people sometimes sacrifice:

• Family

• Health

• Peace

• Integrity

• Relationships

Just to make money.

But the Bible warns us:

“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver.”
— Ecclesiastes 5:10

And:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
— 1 Timothy 6:10

Notice something important:

The Bible does not say money itself is evil.

It warns about the love of money.

Money is a good servant but a dangerous master.

PART FIVE: NOW LET US BRING LOVE AND MONEY TOGETHER

CAN THERE BE LOVE WITHOUT MONEY?

YES!

Love can exist without money.

A poor person can genuinely love.

A rich person can genuinely love.

Feelings, affection, attachment, companionship and sacrifice can exist without wealth.

However...

Here is the deeper question:

Can a relationship survive indefinitely without financial resources?

That is a different question.

WHAT LOVE PROVIDES

Love provides:

Emotional Connection

• Affection

• Companionship

• Attachment

• Empathy

Support

• Encouragement

• Care

• Sacrifice

Psychological Benefits

• Belonging

• Identity

• Reduced loneliness

• Emotional security

These things cannot simply be bought with money.

WHAT MONEY PROVIDES

Money provides practical support for life.

Basic Needs

Food, shelter, healthcare and safety require resources.

Practical Living

Transportation, communication and childcare often require money.

Future Planning

Marriage, children, education and housing require planning and resources.

THE REAL PROBLEM: FINANCIAL PRESSURE

Lack of money does not automatically destroy love.

But constant financial pressure can test love.

When there is persistent scarcity:

• Arguments may increase

• Anxiety may increase

• Blame may begin

• Power imbalance may develop

• Resentment may grow

So we must understand:

Love can survive hardship, but hardship can put serious pressure on love.

A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION

There is a difference between:

❌ Having no money temporarily

And

❌ Having no money, no ambition, no responsibility and no willingness to grow.

A person may be financially struggling today.

That does not mean they cannot be loved.

But a relationship becomes difficult when someone refuses to:

• Work

• Grow

• Plan

• Take responsibility

• Improve themselves

Love does not require you to be rich before you can be loved. But maturity requires you to be responsible.

This is one of the strongest points of the teaching.

LOVE + MONEY = DIFFERENT ROLES

Love and money are not enemies.

They perform different functions.

Love gives the relationship a heart. Money helps the relationship function in the real world.

THE TWO EXTREMES

❌ Money Without Love

You can have:

• A big house

• Cars

• Expensive gifts

• Vacations

And still be lonely.

Money can provide comfort.

But money cannot guarantee affection.

 Love Without Responsibility

Two people may genuinely love each other.

But if nobody is willing to take responsibility for life, the relationship may become full of suffering.

Love is emotional, but life is practical.

You need both love and responsibility.

A VERY IMPORTANT QUOTE

“Money cannot buy genuine love, but lack of financial responsibility can put genuine love under serious pressure.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

You can make the audience participate here:

1. Can a poor person truly love?

2. Would you marry someone you genuinely love but who currently has no money?

3. What is more important: having money or having potential?

4. Can giving someone money be mistaken for love?

5. Can someone love you genuinely but still be financially irresponsible?

6. Should a person wait until they are financially stable before marriage?

7. Can financial problems destroy genuine love?

8. Is it wrong to consider someone's financial capacity before marriage?

FINAL CONCLUSION

CAN THERE BE LOVE WITHOUT MONEY?

YES.

Love can exist without money.

But for a relationship to thrive in the real world, there must be some level of responsibility and resource management.

Money cannot buy:

• Genuine affection

• Loyalty

• Peace

• Trust

• True companionship

But financial irresponsibility can create unnecessary suffering.

So, the answer is:

LOVE CAN EXIST WITHOUT MONEY…

BUT LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRE RESPONSIBILITY.

And perhaps the best combination is:

LOVE

RESPONSIBILITY

FINANCIAL WISDOM

A HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIP

CLOSING STATEMENT

“Do not choose money and reject love. Do not choose love and reject responsibility. Seek love that is genuine and build a life that is responsible.”

And finally:

You don't have to be rich to be worthy of love. But if you truly love someone, you should be willing to grow, work, sacrifice and take responsibility for the life you are building together.