The Risk Of Riches

By Joe Slater

    Contrary to popular belief, money is not the root of all evil. The “love” of it is “a” root of “all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Think about this: You don’t have to be rich to love money; and those who are rich don’t necessarily love money.

    Three questions help to determine whether wealth endangers your soul: 1) How did you get it? 2) How do you use it? 3) What is your attitude toward it?

    Wealth may be earned, inherited, or freely given to you. It may also be obtained through theft, fraud, or other dishonorable means. Both Old and New Testaments condemn those dishonest practices while commending work, inheritances, and giving.

    Wealth may be used for good or evil. One reason for working is to “have something to give to him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28). The rich fool in Jesus’ parable (Luke 12) used his wealth only selfishly. Paul praised the brethren who gave cheerfully and generously to help the poor and support the preaching of the gospel.

    How you obtain wealth and how you use it may be affected by your attitude toward it. As seen earlier, it’s not money itself but the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil. Greed (covetousness) motivates people to acquire it dishonestly and use it selfishly. Material wealth becomes a virtual god. The righteous patriarch Job said, “If I have made gold my hope, or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’; if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gathered much . . . this also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, for I would have denied God who is above” (Job 31:24-28).

    Riches carry risk. You can successfully manage that risk by obtaining wealth legitimately, putting it to godly use, and viewing it as the temporary tool that it is. 

- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com