The Love of Money

The Love of Money

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men 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 6:9,10.
Here is something that is a universal truth for both Christians and non-Christians.
Let me underscore here that being wealthy is not a sin. It’s “the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil.”
Think of how many people over the years have fallen for get rich quick schemes. People who have been conned out of their life savings.
The people who are taking advantage of others by running the get rich quick schemes are themselves looking to get rich quick themselves by stealing others money.
Most get caught and end up in jail. Still there is always someone out their willing to help someone wanting to make a quick buck part with their money.
Lets face it being rich comes with prestige attached to it.
It supposedly give you time to enjoy life. But does it?
There are lots of stories of people who have won millions in lotteries only to blow through it in a few years leaving them worst off than they were before the win.
The apostle Paul notes,
“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.”
I’ve known lots of people over the years who almost live at work. They work and they work to get the money to get the good things in life, yet they can’t enjoy it. They have no time.
Conversely I know several people who are church mouse poor yet enjoy life to the fullest.
I’m reminded today of my sister-in-law Shirley who passed away exactly two years ago today.
She was indeed church mouse poor. She struggled with alcohol addiction but managed to remain sober for the last fifteen years of her life.
Still she never had a lot of money but she managed.
She was the kind of person that would give you the shirt of her back. She helped everyone.
She volunteered her time at church and with organization that helped the poor and those fighting alcohol addiction.
Shirley was one of the happiest people I have ever met. Yet most times she didn’t have a dime to her name.
People still come up to my wife and I saying how much they miss her and telling us of how she helped them.
Proof you don’t need to be rich to bring a little joy and happiness into someone’s life.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
                                                          Matthew 6:19,20.
Think about it.