Friday, November 29, 2013
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Don't ever get behind me in a grocery store checkout line. I told a man that just the other day. You see, this time, once again, the line stopped moving as soon as I got in it. Something usually goes wrong in a line I'm in. It's just a part of my lot in life. I don't know what I've done to deserve this, but when I get in a line, all of a sudden the shift changes, or the toll booth light suddenly goes from green to red, or an argument breaks out in front of me, or people are having trouble paying, or something like that.
Now this time, the computer at the grocery store couldn't figure out how much the bananas cost. The lady in front of me wanted to buy them. There was only one person in the express lane! Well, that express line got derailed for about five or ten minutes, and everything piled up behind me. It always happens that way...poor me. Somehow when people follow me into a line, well, it's just often disastrous. You do have to be careful in choosing whom or what you will follow. There's a Pied Piper out there that has led many of us down paths that we live to regret.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Money Pit."
I want to read you some words that will be very familiar to you; some of the most misquoted verses or words in the Bible. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Timothy 6:10. It says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." Now, that's often misquoted. People say, "Money is the root of all evil." No, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." It goes on to say, "Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." See where this line leads? When you get in this line, you end up with many griefs. This is the wrong line. The money line is the wrong line to be in.
Without realizing it, I think even we Bible people succumb to a very insidious values system that's called "follow the money." We decide who will be the leaders in our church. You know how? We follow the money. When deciding about whether or not mom should be with the kids or working, you know how we decide? Follow the money. When God asks us to take a position that might pay less but mean more in His Kingdom, how do we decide? We follow the money. As an individual, a church, a Christian organization, we often make our choices based on what will give us the money we need.
But see, a child of God is not for sale. I know of nowhere in the Bible where God led His children by saying, "Here's where the money is. Here is where the material resources are." I don't think He ever led that way. In fact, He says in Matthew 6:33, "You seek first the kingdom of God and all the material things I'll take care of." He's basically saying, "Follow what's right. Follow what puts Me first. Follow what puts other people first. Follow what will accomplish something eternal and the money will follow you; don't you follow the money. That's no way to decide."
What is most profitable, what is most comfortable, what is most financially sensible may not be the will of God. That's why Paul says in this same passage, "You man of God, flee from all this and pursue righteousness, and godliness, and faith, and love, and endurance, and gentleness."
Following the money may lead to some short-term relief, and then to many griefs. You see, the money path? Well, it often leads to the money pit.