THE LOVE OF MONEY
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)
I think there are two dangers when it comes to money. One is the love of money; the other is a hatred of money. We must remember that every good and perfect gift comes from God. A Christian purity culture on sex has great intentions, but in some cases, it causes people to see sex as ugly or worldly, which is a tragedy. Sex is a gift from God, but it requires proper stewardship. When we step outside of God’s plan for sex, we create appetites we were never intended to have. However, God is the giver of sex, and He also is the giver of money. We shouldn’t hate the resources He has blessed us with. Money God’s way can be a great blessing to us but most importantly to others. The danger is when we take money outside of God’s plan; it creates an appetite we were never intended to have.
Notice the verse above goes as far as saying that some people have wandered away from the faith because they fell more in love with the resources than the source. Remember, no one wakes up one day and says, I’m going to quit following Jesus; they slowly drift away. I shared this before, but I love how C.S. Lewis says it: Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
I often ask a simple but probing question: God, do I want You more than ? I fill in the blank with whatever is on my mind; sometimes, it’s my home, job, or hobby, and when I can’t quickly answer, I know I need to ask God to help me desire Him more. Be careful, though, when praying that prayer; sometimes God will answer with things we don’t like or do things we don’t want. Just remember He is always good and has the best plans for His kids. Money will come and go, but your soul will live on forever; invest in what matters most today. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
APPLICATION:
The more you look at Jesus daily, the more He will transform your heart.
PRAYER:
Spend a moment asking yourself if God is the top priority in your life. With the Spirit, answer the question: God, do I want You more than
? Whatever He reveals, ask Him to help you long for Him more than anything in this world. Thank God for His faithfulness.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?