The Love of Money? Psalm 49

            As soon as I read Psalm 49 I immediately remembered a class I took at Ecclesia Baptist Church a few years ago.  It was called Managing Finances God’s way.  We don’t like to talk about money in our Christian circles, in church, or among friends when discussing matters of faith.   Some churches may forbid their pastors to talk about money.  It’s interesting this is the attitude of so many when the writers of our sacred text spend a lot of space talking about financial matters. 

            We live in a country where marketing tends to lead people to believe that the accumulation of wealth is the answer to happiness.  If only I had x then I would be happy.  The funny thing is when we get x the bar moves and we then want y. 

            I remember when I first moved away from my parent’s home I lived in a two room apartment above a nursing home.  I didn’t even have a kitchen.  There was a bedroom and a bathroom and the smallest closet you could imagine.  I ate meals from the nursing home kitchen or I had takeout.  Many nights I just ate popcorn.  Throughout the time I lived there I couldn’t wait until the time I could move into a real apartment.  If only I had a kitchen and a separate living room, I would be happy.  Guess what happened?  I moved into a 1 bedroom apartment with a kitchen and a living room and I wanted more.  I said “If only there were a spare bedroom where I could study by myself and have quiet and where I could have guests if I wanted them, then I would be happy.”  

            Friends I Timothy 6:10 states “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Some have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves with a lot of pain because they made money their goal.”  (CEB) Notice it does not say that money itself is evil but the love of money is.  What the writer of Timothy goes onto say is that rather than pursuing more and more money, what we should be pursuing is righteousness, holy living, faithfulness, lovwe, endurance and gentleness.  (11)  These are the things we should fight for.  Money should be our servant in these pursuits.  We should not be the servants of money. 

            This is what the Psalmist of Psalm 49 is pointing out.  He is pointing out that it doesn’t matter who has more money.  That money does not follow us in death.  What good does it do us then.  Our bodies all have the same address when we die….the grave. 

            I encourage you today to do as the writer of Timothy advises.  Pursue righteous, holy living and let money serve you in that pursuit.  In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.