Friday, August 14, 2015

1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many greifs."

They wandered from the faith for money. Why? It promised more. It promised satisfaction. They loved it and desired it. They chased it. 'Money brings freedom,' they said. It will enable us to fulfill every desire. With greedy eyes their fists clung to it and they would not let go. They switched their gaze from God to self. From trust in God to trust in money. From seeking heavenly reward to seeking temporary gain. They wandered from the freedom of serving Christ to pursue, love, and serve money. They took on chains and pierced themselves with many greifs.

When the root of my desires is pursuing materials I see the fruits that result: selfishness, stinginess, worry, envy, and ungratefulness. The thing that promised security and freedom has not. Instead it has built many little prisons around me. This 'freedom' is a heavy yoke to bear and a hard master to serve. Money is a master that is always displeased, never satisfied with my service. The obligations I have to serving this master weigh heavy. This is not the kind of freedom that Christ has called me into.

It is not the money itself that is the problem, only the love of it. Clinging to it, depending on it, not willing to let it go. A few verses later, Paul shows us how those who have money can serve God with it, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up for treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Life that is truly life. Materialism promises this but results in envy, selfishness, stinginess, worry, and ungratefulness. I must not serve money and cling to it, but hold it loosely, with an unclenched fist, realizing that to beleive the lie that money will provide contentmemt is a prison and will bear fruit to many other sins that will enslave me and keep me from living in the freedom that is in Christ.

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