Key Verse: “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10 CSB)
Recently, I had to deal with a problem of mice getting into the basement of our home. To resolve the issue, we sealed off some cracks on the outside of our house. On the inside, we used peanut butter as bait and set a number of traps to catch the mice. It worked like a charm. Over the course of a couple of weeks, we caught a number of micewho ended up getting trapped because they couldn’t resist the temptation of the bait.
In 1 Timothy 6, the Apostle Paul uses a similar analogy to describe the dangers that face someone who isn’t satisfied or content with what they have. Instead, they find themselves wanting more and more. In this case, what they are after is money. They are consumed with a desire to be rich.
Paul wrote that those “who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires”. The person who wants to be rich and who gives intoa craving or desire for wanting more and more is ultimately headed for a dangerous trap. It’s not going to end well for them.
What will happen? The text tells us that these desires will eventually ensnare or trap and ultimately “plunge people into ruin and destruction.” The word “plunge” literally means to sink. Think of what it would be like to be in a boat that’s filling up with water. The more and more a desire for riches begins to consume you, the more and more water is pouring into that boat. Ultimately it’s going to lead to “ruin and destruction”. The boat is going to sink. You don’t want to be in that situation.
But it actually can get worse. According to Paul, this insatiable craving for more can even lead someone to turn away from God altogether and abandon the faith. In Paul’s words, “Some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Sadly, someone can get so consumed with the pursuit of material things that they turn their back on God, and end up walking away from the one thing that can truly satisfy them.
So what’s the alternative? It’s to choose an attitude of contentment. It’s to be satisfied with what you already have. It starts by recognizing that the material things of this world are ultimately unable to satisfy us. They ultimately will leave us empty. To be content is to say, “I don’t need more. I have Jesus. I have all that I need already. Nothing else can satisfy.” Can you say that?
In Psalm 62:10, David wrote, “If wealth increases, don’t set your heart on it.” May God help us to be men and women who seek satisfaction and joy not in the things of this world, but in Christ alone. May we choose today to be content in Him.
Prayer: God, help me not to be deceived by the love of money. I recognize that the material things of this world will never truly satisfy me. Help me to look to you the only place where I can find true joy and contentment. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
