From 1 Timothy 6: 6 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
We live in an area of the state that has made many people wealthy almost overnight. Oil and gas exploration has paid big dividends to land owners and has brought both blessings and curses to the area. People who once were rich in land are now rich in money. People who had no land and rented from those who owned homes and apartments, now do not have enough money to stay in those homes because the rents have gone sky high for those who come into the area to make big money.
In a worship service recently, the preacher asked the congregation to raise their hands if they were millionaires. Not surprisingly, no one did. Sitting in the congregation I almost raised my hand but with the declaration, "Not in money, but in the things that count."
This epistle is addressing the proper attitude we should have towards God, money, life, and each other. The first verse of the passage says we are rich in the blessing we have in being right with God. We are asked to consider that we all were born with nothing, and we can take nothing with us when we die. To have food and clothing is way ahead of being born with nothing. Yet, there are those who make seeking money or making money their life's goal. Many have plunged into ruin and destruction because of these pursuits. And in this passage is that famous and often quoted, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Older versions like the King James simply says, "the root of all evil." The verse does not end with that declaration, it continues, "And in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains." Paul knows that money does not necessarily provide true wealth. He then lists those things that do; the pursuit of being made right with God and each other, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness, holding the belief in life beyond death; and living a life that bears witness to the presence, peace, and power of the living God through Jesus Christ.
It is not a sin to be rich. It is a sin to love your money in such a way that you leave God out of your life and seek only to provide for yourself. Yesterday's lesson about the rich man and Lazarus took us beyond this life to the afterlife and the consequences that befell the man who loved no one but himself. To be rich is to have opportunity to share and care for those less fortunate. Two of the world's richest men and their wives, have sought to begin to give away most of their wealth to help others in areas of helping cure diseases and providing education to those who might not otherwise have it.
What would God have us do with the wealth we do have? Paul believes it is to "do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share," and in that way we are "storing up for (our)selves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that is really life."
A life lived that says I share and care says more than I care only for myself and those like me.
PRAYER: Eternal God, bless our lives to know what true wealth really is before You. Thank You for what we do have and as we are blessed may we bless others. Never let us think that we should seek only for ourselves and our loved ones; we are called to "go into all the world" with good news and good blessings of assistance. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a good and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
