October 21

NT -- 1st Timothy 6:1-21
vs 9-10 "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 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."

A few observations about these two verses.
1. I had no idea that Paul said this. I thought Jesus did.
2. I knew about the 'love of money' part but not the quantifier 'a root'. Meaning that loving money is only one root of evil rather than the underlying cause of ALL evil.
3. It is the desire to get rich that causes the ruin, not the actual having of the money.

So that makes me ponder, just when does it stop being a healthy desire to be comfortable and able to take care of those you love and those that need help to being a Root?
I could make the case that it is only when it is an OVERWHELMING desire, but I am not sure that even stupid little conceits in the name of getting richer are okay. On the other hand, money is a clear motivator and in some cases, the only reason to get up and get out of bed.

In my adult life, I have been both flush with cash and have counted pennies for bread at the grocery store. Both were times of great agitation but the counting pennies was the worst. Does that make me fall into Paul's Evil camp?

I am unclear about my relationship to money and function best when I have a clear, defined budget and stick to it. Extra money makes me do stupid things and not having money to pay the deductible on Cole's surgery would totally throw me down Jeremiah's muddy cistern.

And so I claim for myself the wish I have for each of you "Grace and peace be with you".