The Root of Many Evils

As a congregation of the Lord’s church we have in our budget every year provisions for benevolence to help those in immediate desperate need. I interview, screen and decide what appropriate action should be taken. It’s not the most favorite part of my job because sometimes we simply can’t help. Then again, at times, I have been able to coordinate with several congregations, each giving some, to satisfy a need. The question is, “What about next month?” Money management has become a viable asset to every household in maintaining a course of comfort and well-being. Misappropriation of money ear-marked for utilities and manageable debt can only develop into un-manageable debt, worry and anxiety. The biggest unrest in our homes today centers around money. For some reason the American public refuses to live within their means of income, causing lots of  unrest.

These tenants gave landlords creative reasons for avoiding paying their rent. * “With my daughter’s graduation, our new boat, and our  trip to Europe this year, we’re a little strapped.” * “I’m getting real tired of paying this rent every month! You’ll have to wait a few days.” * “We’re a little short right now. But don’t worry—we’re getting a refund on my wife’s tattoo. The artist messed it up, and we’re getting back most of the bucks!” * “I didn’t pay the rent because I’m saving up to move.” * “It’s your fault the check bounced. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to run to the bank with it the very same day!”

Ananias and Sapphira lied to God about the price of the land they had sold. They died for their greed (Acts 5:1-11). King Ahab pouted like a baby when Naboth refused to sell him his vineyard, so Jezebel killed Naboth and gave the land to her husband. But this evil pair paid for their covetousness when they later became dog food (1 Kings 21:1-23). Judas Iscariot was a thief who stole from the money bag and betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver (John 12:6; Matthew 26:15). In the end he regretted what he had done and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-10). The rich man in Luke 16:19-31 lost his soul because he was too cheap to help a poor man near his property. Few things are as deceptive as money. Jesus warned that the worries of life and the “deceitfulness of wealth” could “choke” God’s word and cause it to be unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22). Paul said in his well-known passage on 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 the 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). We live in a world infected with greed. Make money, spend money, and dream of having more - these ideas are drilled into our minds from youth. In this life money talks and many listen. Solomon said (I think with tongue–in-cheek) “...money is the answer to everything.” (Ecclesiastes 10:19). Money is power, and power is money. But Solomon, who was rich beyond our imagination, warned that wealth will only leave you feeling empty and depressed (Ecclesiastes 2:1-21; 5:10-15). If men had written the Bible, it may well have contained the following, “The Greedy Man’s Prayer:” Our money which art in banks, Hollow be thy fame. Thy power corrupts. Thy will be done in recession, as it is in prosperity. Buy us this day more than we need. And increase our debt, as we fail to pay our lenders. And lead us not into charity, but deliver us from helping others. For thine is the misery, and the vanity, and the flames of hell forever.