Love of Money Is Evil

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 6:10)

Meditation

The pursuit of money will drive many people to do things they wouldn’t want anyone to do to them. They will lie in their business dealings. They cheat their business partners or customers to line their pockets with cash. They will steal from the weakest and the least likely to be able to afford their losses. They will even injure or kill their victims to get what they want. These things have been happening since the Fall in the Garden. Even if what they do isn’t strictly illegal, it’s definitely not moral or acceptable behavior. Their greed drives them to these actions.
As believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, we have been given a ministry. Our ministry is to help others whenever we can, and to spread the message of the gospel to as many as possible. Many times, that means we provide material or financial help to those in need. As a fallen race, we humans are naturally self-centered, always wanting to keep hold of what we consider to be ours. We must take strength from the Lord to fight against that tendency. God is the real owner of our possessions and bank accounts, we are only the stewards. We may be employed at a job, or own a business to make a living, but that doesn’t relieve us of our main responsibility. Our purpose is to make disciples of Jesus Christ, even when that means some kind of sacrifice on our parts.
Many people, including some who once claimed to believe in Jesus, think a key to happiness is to chase after more and more money. Their focus is on money and the comforts it can buy. They may be generous with their churches, great philanthropists in their communities, but their hearts do not know Jesus. Eventually, their love of money will become so great, they have no room for Jesus at all. They pin their hopes for happiness on how much money they have, or on how nice a car they drive, only to find out how inadequate they are. Jesus is the only source and provider of our happiness. So long as I continue to do the work of Christ and share his good news, I will inevitably become a happier person. The happiness the world has to offer is fleeting but the happiness that comes from God, is eternal.





Prayer Time

Dear Lord, you are so unselfish, you didn’t even withhold your Son, Jesus Christ, from the cross. You have proven to be a trustworthy God so, why do we always seek after other gods? Money seems to be the most common god we seek after, today and throughout time. Father help us to see, when we pursue that almighty dollar, (or peso, or pound, or euro, or yen, etc.) we are really worshiping a false god. Please give us the clarity to understand money does not and cannot buy happiness. Money, by itself, is not evil; it’s just a piece of paper or a stamped metal coin. Help us to see it’s a tool to either do good or do evil with. Help us to always do good with whatever money you have blessed us with. Helping the poor and less fortunate is our first calling. Please, Lord, keep us on the narrow path and walking in your light. Don’t let us be seduced by the promises of wealth and influence. Those are empty lies that lead us to destruction. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!

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