“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
This may be the single most misquoted verse in the entire bible. Many people think it says, “Money is the root of all evil,” whereas the Apostle Paul’s words really focus on our heart attitude about money.
Proverbs 4:23 gives good counsel when it comes to our attitude about money, encouraging us to guard our heart, “for it is the wellspring of life.” Every day a chorus of voices clamors for our heart–from the overt messages of marketers to the subtle but powerful influence of planned obsolescence to the comparison game we often find ourselves playing.
An unguarded heart leaves us vulnerable to falling in love with money and the things it can buy; it leaves us open to believing the lie that if we only had a little bit more then life will really be good.
The best protection for our heart is being bathed in God’s Word. As we know God more we can’t help but deepen our relationship with Him. We see His amazing love for us, His grace, and His mercy. We see that our identity as much-loved sons and daughters of His is fixed. And we gain a new freedom around money and material things because they no longer have the power to shape our identity or our value.
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