The Bible says:
“But they that will (want to) be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ... Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”
— 1 Timothy 6: 9, 10, 17
The warnings given against wanting and possessing money sound like warnings against a ferocious animal or a deadly disease. But the warnings are against wanting or coveting riches and the warnings of being rich. The warnings are real because the consequences of seeking riches and of actually becoming rich are real.
And yet in spite of the warnings and the consequences played out before our eyes you see practically no one turning their back on money and escaping the dangerous pursuit for money and the dangers involved in being rich.
According to the world’s standard for success, one should be proud of their riches and be ashamed of being poor. But I would be quick to remind everyone that our Lord was born into poverty and lived in poverty and still accomplished the Father’s will for His life.
The world sees Him as a failure, but His life is the greatest success story there is. “Life’s greatest poverty is not in riches but in spirit.”
We are taught very early that worldly success should be our goal and that we can’t reach that goal without a lot of money. So, our focus is only horizontal instead of vertical. We focus on the temporal and material instead of the eternal and spiritual. We live for self instead of for God.
Paul’s warnings are not given to the lost though they are applicable to them but are given to the Christian who is not yet weaned from the things of the world. (Psalm 131) Paul warns that if we put becoming rich first in our life that we will become easy prey for the enemy and fall into sin because of our lusts which can bring about our ruin.
This is true because, “the love of money” or covetousness, “is the root of all evil” or corrupts all who love it.
The love of money will cause one to err from their belief system because the love of money is not compatible with the love of God. And seeking riches has its own particular set of heartaches and sorrows.
And being rich shapes our personality and character in such a way that we shut God out of our life. We become “highminded” or proud instead of humble as we must if we’re to walk in fellowship with God.
Our riches bring us a false sense of security, and we trust in our riches which are here today and gone tomorrow (Proverbs 23: 5) rather than in God.
Money is the most dangerous thing you can have. You will be safe if you hold it in your hand, but you are headed for deep trouble the minute you fall in love with it and hold it in your heart.
James H. Cagle is a Ray City resident who pastored several churches for a total of 11 years. Email him at pastorjameshcagle@ yahoo.com
