10 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 6:10
I’m sure you have heard this verse quoted and misquoted ad nauseum throughout your life.
Who among us has not heard someone say ‘Money is the root of all evil’? I’ve heard many preachers address this misquote from the pulpit. Preachers and teachers are quick to point out that the Bible does not say money itself but, rather, the love of money is the root of all evil.
The more common misunderstanding, however, is seldom addressed from the pulpit. Namely the conclusions we draw from this verse – particularly as Christians.
We understand that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Correct! So we conclude, by extension, that the acquisition of wealth must be the root of all evil. And the possession of money is the root of all evil. Furthermore, we conclude that anyone who has acquired or is in the process of acquiring riches must be doing so because they love money. Why?
Here is the news-flash. You don’t have to be rich to love money!
This is the first step to understanding God’s word as it pertains to wealth.
It is imperative that we understand this. I believe that 1 Timothy 6:10 is one of the most commonly misquoted – and misunderstood – verses in the Bible.
When we understand this truth, we realise 1 Tim 6:10 is actually the great equaliser. Rich or poor, anybody can love money. None of us is exempt.
Take your average hard-working person, for instance. We work ten to sixteen hours a day in jobs we hate just to keep pace with our ever-increasing bills – and the neighbors. Marriages break down and children end up in therapy because parents are simply never around. We’re too busy working to give our children the things we never had when we were growing up.
All the while we pat ourselves on the back saying, our value system is more Biblical. We’re not like those materialistic rich people where everything is just about money. We choose not to pursue riches because the love of money is the root of all evil.
We need to be honest with ourselves and ask the question. Could it be the love of money that drives us to the office each day? Could it be the love of money that keeps us locked in a cycle of acquiring things and constantly spending just a little more than we earn? Do we really need that extra living room in the more expensive suburb, or the new car and flat-screen TV that eats up the pay increase we just got?
I’m not saying rich people don’t love money. Many do. I’m simply saying let’s not judge them too harshly because none of us is immune. The love of money is sin – and we are all sinners.
When we recognise this, we can begin to rectify the problem. I have found that, far from denying us true wealth, understanding 1 Timothy 6:10 and applying it to our lives can be the very key to unlocking the financial freedom so many people seek.
Take a look at some of the common Love of Money Blinkers that prevent us from recognising love of money in our own lives and keep us locked in financial struggle at the same time.