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What God Meant: “The Love of Money is a Root of All Kinds of Evils”

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” —1 Timothy 6:10

love-of-money

What did Paul mean when he said, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils . . . ”?

Many people view this verse in a way that depicts all money to be evil and not of Jesus, but this isn’t really the case at all. Jesus states that “the love of money” is where we will find evil, and to not find ourselves loving and idolizing it.

Is money wrong? Of course not. Money helps pay our bills, feed our families, and even fund our schooling. But does this mean we should put money-making on a pedestal above God? Nope, not even close. There is nothing wrong with having nice things, eating nice food, or even buying a nice house. The problem is when we begin finding our identity in the stuff money can buy us instead of finding our identity in Christ alone. This is where the evil comes in. Remember, all the money you have comes from God in the first place. What you do with that money says a lot about your character, your relationship with God, and where your priorities fall.

Money might be a great resource, but it’s going to make a horrible god.

Relax. It’s OK to work hard and earn a paycheck. This verse reminds us that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. God has called us to be mature when it comes to our finances, and to not let our love for worldy things take over our love for him and his promises.

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Love Is

photo“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” —1 Corinthians 13:4–7

Love is one of those things that seems a little cliché, but in reality it’s a foundation that God has called us to construct our lives upon. Not only are we called to love our Lord Jesus Christ, but we’re also called to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Trust me, I know what some of you are thinking: “But you haven’t met my neighbors. They’re crazy!”

And although this might be hard to do sometimes, we need to remember that it wasn’t a request—it was a command.

“We love because he first loved us.” —1 John 4:19

Let’s focus on God’s love today

  1. Are you loving the way Jesus loved?
  2. Are you loving your neighbor as yourself?
  3. Are you reflecting an image of love in your everyday actions?
  4. On a scale of one to 10, where do you rank on the showing-love meter?

Be an example of love. Show those around you how much you care.