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, NIV 1984).
My Musings – It is easy to get this one wrong. Wealth is not intrinsically evil. But wealth characterized by such things as “[wanting] to ger rich,” “love of money,” and “eager for money” indicate that it is rooted in evil that can lead to “foolish and harmful desires…ruin and destruction.”
People who are wealthy, however, are not intrinsically evil. “Those who are rich in this present world [are commanded] 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.” (1 Timothy 6:17–18, NIV 1984).
My Advice – We must “guard what has been entrusted to our care.” (1 Timothy 6:20, NIV 1984). To use our wealth for good, and not for “foolish and harmful desires.” To “put [our] hope in God” and not “to put [our] hope in wealth.”
“Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil [many griefs].” (Proverbs 15:16, NIV 1984).
The Brew Is A Musing 