Morning Moments

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Money is only paper today. There was a time when it was something else; an animal, food, or a number of other things. It is however, ONLY a means of exchange. You give some and receive something of equal value.

It is not the “item” that our text is referring to; it is the affection of the heart. The word translated “love” in our text is “philargyria” and is only used in our text. The root word is translated “covet”. The moral principle from the righteous standard God gave in the Ten Commandments is that we are NOT to covet.

Literally, to covet means to yearn to have – it may be the insatiable desire for a person, as in another person’s spouse, or a thing, as in a boat, car, clothes, or a million other things including MONEY – cash – any means of exchange.

Again, it is not the money that is bad, it is the motive of one’s heart that craves the money that belongs to another, which one feels he/she has a right to have.

We often excuse this covetousness or disguise it by comparing it to what we have as compared to what someone else might have. We justify our right to have it because we think we need or want it. The problem is that this craving; this insatiable desire never satisfies. It brings with it many sorrows.

The lust, craving, desire for, or covetousness comes from believing that this “thing” or “person” will meet the need in our own life. It may temporarily, because there is pleasure in sin – but it only lasts for a season and it brings many difficulties.

BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE…that is the Biblical injunction, and when we add godliness to contentment we gain in ways the “money” can never produce. The vacuum in our hearts can never be filled with anything that God does not provide for us personally. It is NEVER what belongs to another nor is what not God’s will for me.

SO, be content with such things as you have, and teach others to be likewise.

HINT: If you are always in a stew about money, guess what; it is a revelation of where your heart is. You and I may not have much but whatever we do not have cannot make us happy. Only God can do that! Selah.

Blessings!