So, what thoughts cross your mind when you see displays of wealth? Do you drool over some of the luxury items and lifestyles advertised – the clothes, the jewelry, the exotic cars, the dream vacations, the homes and the confident expressions of the people featured in the images?
Have you ever seen inside a superyacht? When every other luxury has been experienced, the last extravagant attempt to satisfy the lust for bigger and better and more is not a lowly private jet but a superyacht — the final rung on the ladder of what money can do for the human soul.
How I spend my money is the clearest indicator of my priorities in life.
When you see displays of wealthy extravagance, do you have a momentary desire to be rich? Does your heart beat faster when you imagine living like that — or even a little bit like that? Have you ever entertained the thought: “If only I could have that, life would be so different.”
If the inner desire of my heart is to be rich, if my thinking revolves around desires and plans to be rich someday, if accumulating wealth is at the core of my plans and is the motivating factor in my life — I’m on a very dangerous and treacherous pursuit. If my thinking does not change, my life for the Lord will be wasted.
The New Testament has much to say about money, riches and wealth and those who are rich. As you read through your New Testament, be on the lookout for this subject and see what conclusions you reach.
Having said that — there are Christians who are wealthy. They do have money. Some have seen their businesses prosper and grow. Others have inherited their wealth. When Paul wrote Timothy, he had a special message for ‘money-rich’ saints:
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1Timothy 6:17-19
What was Paul saying? There’s a natural danger for those who have money to consider themselves better than those who do not. There is a danger of exclusivity, snobbery, arrogance and high-mindedness. Of course, high-mindedness is antithetical to humility and true spirituality. A tribe of wealthy believers referencing their latest exotic vacations or acquisitions does nothing to foster harmony within the local church.
Yes, wealth can be detrimental to the cohesiveness of a fellowship of believers, but it can be an even greater detriment and obstacle to Gospel outreach. Not-so-wealthy people who visit us from the community are quickly turned off if they perceive they are being condescendingly patronized by kindness.
Another money-related danger is that sometimes those who have it have influence and power they wouldn’t otherwise have in the local church.
For many believers struggling financially, beware of the potholes along the road to financial security. There are dangers along the way. Too often, one’s dependence on the Lord can be downgraded or even displaced as one’s hope for the future is tied more closely to one’s money rather than being anchored in the Lord.
Scattered around the country are many believers who once were happy in the Lord and committed to a local fellowship. But that was back in the days when they were also dependent on the Lord to make ends meet, to pay the bills and feed their family. Then the winds of success blew; profits soared; bank accounts bulged. Sadly for some, their light of testimony is far dimmer now than when they were struggling financially.
Based on what you have just read, you might think money is evil. Money is not, but the love of it is.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin … for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1Timothy 6:9-10
Read the story on this site behind the children’s song: Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
Finally, what about the God-fearing, Christ-honouring, wealthy Christians whose hearts are not fixed on their wealth but on their Lord? Money for them is just an enabler to do more and more things for the Lord. Their wealth allows them to be rich in good works – just like the verse says. They are generous. They are ready to share. They are a tremendous blessing to the local fellowship, other believers, the community and to the spread of the Gospel. The treasure they truly value is what they are laying up in Heaven – not what they have in their bank accounts. They are taking hold of that which is “life indeed.” (1Timothy 6:19)
Dear Child of God, beware of a growing fondness for money. It’s a sign of spiritual illness. Rather than a desire for greater riches, may our goal be the pursuit of spiritual wealth.
Perhaps you are thinking of a Bible verse not mentioned above that provides additional insights into riches and wealth in the Word of God. Share it with other readers by posting it in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
