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“Get rich” books make fascinating reading. Media adverts define that our desire is to be seen with distinctive lifestyle objects. To be rich, one must look their part. As Christians, do we fall for that? Wealth and the Christian are not mutually exclusive. However, love of God and love of money in the Bible is diametrically opposing (Matt. 6:24). God provides for our needs and prospers us for our enjoyment in living a good life. God give good things to those who walk uprightly. However, your faith in God is easily eroded as riches increase. It is easy to depend on what wealth can command, rather than trust God fully. In Church ministry, Timothy was given the reminder to reflect on motives in ministry in this area of money. He is to remind himself and others to use earthly resources for eternal worth.
Wealth can be a pitfall for a Christian. Once lured by the desire to love riches and having the ability to accumulate it, the slippery slope starts. The severe warning is to caution against the shame and troubles that “love of money” will bring to Christians; the person is drawn away even to abandon his precious faith in God. To stand guard against such a motive in service, one has to affirm his love for God. To cherish God is to remain humble and trust God rather than in riches.
There are many lessons we can learn from the life and ministry of George Müller, one of the early Brethren in England. Muller’s writings on the stewardship of money and the refusal to rely on wealth revealed him as someone who totally believed that God would bless the man who trusts in Him. He was strict with himself on the need to stay above all possible misunderstandings concerning his salary. His personal income, from unsolicited gifts (he refused any kind of salary) rose more than ten times his original income. Even then, he kept just enough for his family and gave the rest away. When he started the Orphanage Ministry to care for destitute children, he laid down for himself the rule that, beyond making known the existence of the Home, he would never in any way apply for financial assistance from people or institutions. He simply wanted “that it might be a witness to all that God is, as ever of old, the hearer of prayer”.
In the right perspective, wealth becomes yet another opportunity to serve others through sharing of needs.
