When I was working for a doctor in Miami after just graduating school, he allowed me to sit through an interview he was doing for a new front desk role. He asked a profound question to this young girl. The doctor inquired, “Do you believe that money is the root of all evil?”
You could immediately see he had stumped this poor, unsuspecting job candidate as she searched to say the “right” thing. Unfortunately for her employment, she said the wrong thing. She said, “Yes.”
Wisely, the doctor later told me his reason for asking this question. This position will require collecting money. If the staff member believes that collecting money runs contrary to caring about people and is considered “evil” – that’s not a good person for this job.
The Bible doesn’t say, “Money is the root of all evil.” It says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” A fact that would be difficult or impossible to refute. We live in a material, commerce-driven society where it appears that every new technology or subscription is practically screaming, “You need me to survive!”
The love of commercialism makes us a slave of money. When it comes to finance, there’s nothing common about common sense. The most common way people manage money is to spend most of it, rather than invest most of it. The Gold-medal, “Miracle” Coach – Herb Brooks said, “You’ve got to be uncommon.” The common makes money a master, the uncommon have mastered money.
The Bible says quite a bit about money and ALL OF IT holds up today. In regards to commercialism, Ecclesiastes 5:10 says money won’t satisfy. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:19-24, that focusing on the accumulation of “treasures” is focusing on what is temporary and easily destroyed rather than what is most important in our lives. Your checkbook reveals your values and where your heart is as well. Ultimately, you “can’t serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
SIGNS THAT YOU’RE UNCOMMONLY WISE WITH MONEY:
- There’s a primary focus on saving, tithing, and giving rather than buying
- There is a specific, forward-thinking plan about asset allocation, your economic future and overall net-worth
- You are actively working to reduce and eliminate debt
No, money is not the root of all evil. Money and what it buys are not evil at all in and of themselves. Yet, when keeping up with the Joneses, money, and consumerism rule and wreak havoc in our lives we are secularly and biblically out of alignment. Money is something we should use and not something that should control us. It should work for you, not just you for it.
THESE VERSES HOLD UP:
- “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” – Prov 22:7
- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” – Mt 6:19-21
- “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Mt 6:24
- “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” – 1 Tim 6:10
- “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;” – Prov 3:9
Have fun saving the world
Dr. Ben
