Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 29 & 30
Poetry: Psalm 10
*New Testament: 1 Timothy 6
In 2022 a record was set as Americans lost more than 60 billion dollars in casinos and online betting. American’s spend about 100 billion dollars a year buying lottery tickets. I read a news article today that said as much as 200 Billion dollars in Covid relief money was stolen by fraud during the Covid paycheck relief program. Over the next few months and years there will be trials as those who have been arrested and charged with fraud will have to face the consequences of their actions.
What is the motivation for people to get rich by any means, including gambling, stealing and other types of fraud. Does having more money make you happier? A number of studies have been conducted in recent years to determine if there is a correlation between how much money one makes and their level of happiness. One 2010 study by economist Daniel Kahneman found that after a certain amount of having basic financial needs met, having more money doesn’t improve your level of happiness. The amount he found at the time was $75,000. A more recent study found that making more money can have a slight affect on happiness, but really not enough to make a significant difference. That researcher, Matthew Killingsworth from the Wharton Business School found that up to a certain amount your happiness might increase, but that your life is much better spent focusing your attention on other things to really improve your sense of well-being. He says: “people probably overemphasize money when they think about how well their life is going.”
The reward of short term happiness one might feel for having more money by winning the lottery, hitting the jackpot, or ripping off the Government by fraud, or even by wearing yourself out at work or working multiple side jobs to make more money isn’t worth the negative consequences of those behaviors. The negative outcomes more than offset any happiness gains one might have by having more money.
I love how psychologists, economists and other highly educated people are finally getting around to proving what God’s word has been saying for thousands of years.
In today’s reading in Timothy Paul warns: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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 Timothy 6:6-10)
Paul contrasts the benefits of godliness with contentment with basic food and clothing vs. the risks and consequences of those who desire to get rich due to their love of money. Love of money and pursuit of riches are a trap that are destructive to people’s lives. The love of money leads to all kinds of evil behavior and is a cause of some believers wandering away from their faith in God.
This week we’ve talked about different things that cause us to abandon faith in God including fear in the case of Jehoshaphat or pride in the case of Uzziah. Here Paul warns that plain old greed can lead you away from faith in Jesus Christ.
What is the solution. Learn to be content. This corresponds with what John the Baptizer said in Luke 3:14 when soldiers came to him: “Soldiers asked, ‘What about us? What should we do?’ He answered, ‘Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.’”
Jesus was pretty smart and gave some great wisdom about money in Matthew 6:24-33
“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.”
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
I know that many who are reading this today are young people, perhaps in college or just beginning careers. It’s natural to want to make enough money to meet your basic living needs- for food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and to give to help those in need. Proverbs 30:8-9 offers this simple but wise prayer:
“give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.”
Lord, provide me with my basic needs so that I won’t be tempted to steal food to stay alive, but also please don’t give me too much so that I might be tempted to forget you. In our striving for the happiness that we think wealth will gain for us, we may so badly wreck our priorities that it completely derails our faith. If we value money too much, we might not be tempted to steal, but we may be tempted to steal from God by choosing to work on Sundays instead of going to Church. Or working so hard the other 6 days a week that Sunday is our only day to sleep in or do work around the house and so we can’t make time for God or Church.
A life spent chasing after riches will likely leave you spiritually poor. So budget your time and your priorities wisely and don’t make financial wealth the primary driver of your happiness and meaning.
-Jeff Fletcher
Reflection Questions
- How much money do you think it would take to make you happy?
- How can the love of money tempt you to wander away from your commitment to Jesus Christ?
- What should Christians’ attitude be about gambling? The Bible doesn’t explicitly condemn gambling, but can gambling be participated in without greed/love of money? How would you answer that question to someone who asked you if it is okay for Christians to gamble?
Seek Grow Love 