Greetings in Christ,
We all must deal with it, work for it, save it, spend it, and even desire it. It is one of those things which create more instability and create more wars than anything else. It turns people against each other, and it ruins lives in the wake of its desire. It makes people stand in line for hours in hopes to attain it in great sums. It is a necessary thing we all must have at one point or another—money.
Many people say the phrase incorrectly by saying money is the root of all evil, but it is the love of money which is the root of all evil. It is how we look at money which drives us to attain it. Yes, we all must have money to survive here on earth, and we have to work to attain it, but we do not have to let money be the desire of our hearts.
In John Grisham’s “The Testament” he writes about a billionaire and his controversial death who is tired of his many ex-wives, children, and grandchildren chasing after his money. The billionaire is trying to protect his money and assets trying to keep his family away from what he has acquired and trying to frivolously spend. He writes his last will and testament excluding all his family but one daughter.
The family members who desperately want to seek the money are trying every tactic to secure the wealth for themselves and get caught up spending more than they have thinking they will get an enormous inheritance, but they are unaware they are left nothing in the will. They have grand illusions they will soon have more money than they can spend, and they think this will bring them notoriety in the social circles. They are fighting amongst themselves and spending more time thinking about how to spend it and keep others from acquiring it. They think more wealth will bring them happiness, but it has brought them nothing but pain.
The only one who is not seeking to gain anything is the one daughter who receives the wealth. She has removed herself from the picture a long time ago and does not want anything to do with her father’s wealth. She has even gone as far as to change her name so she cannot be found easily, and she has chosen a life of a missionary in the deep Brazilian jungles reaching out to the natives sharing Jesus Christ with them. She has made everyone who knows her within the missionary group to vow of silence and not share her secret past life so she can be left to serve Jesus.
I realize this book is fiction, but the story line can be applied to many people in the world. Those in the family want to have instant success and have everything handed to them. They do not want to work for their success. When they do not get their success, they seek other ways to procure them which leads to more failure and disappointment. They are caught up in the illusion money will bring happiness.
Leviticus, James, and Luke all have a common theme which is to trust in God. They give different backgrounds in their stories of what people are to do in life, but they all state not to get caught up the illusion of money and wealth is the answer to their problems. James even goes even farther and says to rejoice in the trials and tribulations of this world. Leviticus states the seven-year sabbatical which they do not sow or prune anything they need to eat, but to rather rejoice in God. In Luke, Jesus calls for the people to lay up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. They all are pointing to trust in God.
We all need it, but we do not have to let it be the driving force in our lives—money. We have figured out it does not grow on trees, and we must work to attain it, but we do not let it be the center of our lives. God needs to be the center of our lives, and we should strive to let God be the center of our lives, but we have a hard time with the trials and tribulations. Yes, money will sometimes help to alleviate the trials and tribulations of life, but it does not bring happiness.
James said it best, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Let’s be rich in wisdom from God and lay our treasures up in heaven. It will last us an eternity!
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:1-8
Lord, may we seek Your wisdom and lay up our treasures with You in heaven. Amen
Blessings,