

The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10
The writings of Saint Paul readily yield one-liners on one’s attitude toward money. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), he writes. Further: “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:8). As for the dishonest use of money, this: “No one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him” (1 Thessalonians 4:6).
In an interview in the newspaper, James T. Bell, a black ballplayer of years ago who made hundreds while his counterparts today make millions—and was good enough to be belatedly voted into the Hall of Fame—said about his limited income: “I’ve got enough to eat and a roof over my head. I can pay my bills. I don’t care what other people have. I don’t want what other people have.”
We do need money, and we do well to earn it honestly. But instead of doing that, many deceive themselves into thinking that they can get rich quickly through lotteries and other games of chance. One wrong attitude about gambling is that a person wants something he has not earned—money that really belongs to other people. Truly, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
While there is nothing morally wrong with riches properly and honestly acquired, it is good to bear in mind that material wealth is not life’s highest good. Of far greater worth is our salvation in Jesus Christ. Our Lord divested Himself of His heavenly glory so that we might have it, as the apostle states: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). He refers to such riches as the full and free forgiveness he has earned for us, our place in the fellowship and family of God, our status as heirs of eternal life, our awareness not only of who we are but also whose we are, and inner peace which money cannot buy.
Be thankful if you have that, and never mind what other people have in the line of money!
PRAYER: Thank You, Lord God, for enriching me in Christ with the blessings of peace, forgiveness, and eternal life. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: 1 Chronicles 28-29 1 Corinthians 15:29-58
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