Money is always a very important topic! Jesus talked about it A LOT and most people are interested, concerned and spend much of their lives in pursuit of it. We can also see the great harm that it causes when abused/misused even, and perhaps especially, among the followers of Jesus. Paul gives Timothy a shocking warning - especially in verse 8.
Paul warns Timothy in the 6th chapter of his first letter to Timothy: "...people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." I'm sure many examples of this easily come to mind.
Paul then goes on to give the proper perspective on life and money starting in verse 6: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
Money isn't eternal so don't focus on it. All we need is to be content with what we have and follow in God's ways.
He goes on to describe contentment basics:
Verse 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
In our materialistic world, this is quite a shocker! We normally think of food, clothing and shelter as minimum requirements but he strips it back to the very basics. If our perspective truly is that God is all we need and only God and people are of lasting value or importance, then we can be content with just this. Our lives get easily cluttered and we often focus on the things and gifts rather than the giver.
He continues and indicates that the main problem is really life focus. If our goal is to get rich, then we are already looking in the wrong direction and are a destined to fall into ruin and destruction.
9 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.
As Jesus said, "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also" (Matt 6:21). The love of money is idolatry and it is a subtle trap that we constantly are getting pulled toward.
10 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.
Wow! Great wisdom and warnings!
Lord Jesus, keep my eyes and focus on you and not on the things of the earth. Let my treasure be completely in you!
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