But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Timothy 6:9
My garage is separate from my house. That is a good thing, because not too long ago, I started having a problem with mice in my garage. I had some dry food stored out there to save room in the house, and, uninvited, they began hosting their own banquets at my expense. That was all the provocation I needed to declare war. I set traps, baited them with peanut butter, and expected to find them filled with mice the next morning. Problem solved. Except, that is not what I found when I went out the next day. The peanut butter was nowhere in sight, and neither were the mice. I sat in the stillness contemplating my predicament and was rewarded for my patience; for in that moment, I found out why the traps were ineffective. A mouse peered over a can of spray paint sitting on the shelf, and I think it was the first time I had seen a mouse that small. They had been able to steal the bait because they weren’t even heavy enough to spring the trap. The problem was finally solved when I bought the sticky traps and baited them the same way. Heavy mouse or light, the stickiness is more than any of them can escape from, and that was all it took.
Often, people read 1 Timothy 6, about the love of money, and in their minds, instantly point to the wealthiest people in our society as the target of this passage. But notice the wording: “they that will be rich…” This clearly indicates that wealthy or poor, anyone can fall into the trap of the love of money. In fact, it is often those who are poorest that begin to covet most what they don’t have. It is not money that is the root of all evil; it is the love of it. Certainly, there are plenty of rich people who feel like they never have enough and only desire more, but I believe these verses are more targeting the “little guy.” The devil will use money as the bait that causes many to bring on their own destruction by suffocating the life out of everything worthwhile. That green printed paper becomes their sole focus, and they find out only after it is too late that what they thought was going to make them happy landed them amongst the most miserable of people.
Beware of the trap of money. It may look like the fulfillment of all your dreams, the answer to all your problems, and the pinnacle of success. But be warned, it is only a trap that will lead to your ultimate destruction if you make it your ultimate goal.
Read also: 1 Timothy 6:6-11
Quote of the day: “Money is a great servant, but it makes for a horrible master.”
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