One of the most misquoted verses in the bible is: 1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Most people say money is the root of all evil but that just isn’t the truth. It is the love of money. But what does that really mean? Many people think it is about rich people but many poor people fall into this category too.
It has to do with do you put money ahead of God, family, your values & principles. I believe that if you do then you have the love of money in your heart. Many people say they are working long hours for their family when in reality your family needs more of you not more stuff.
Do you buy things you can’t afford on credit like TV’s, boats etc…? Things that are not necessities. Nothing wrong with having nice things but when you sell your future out by placing these kinds of things on credit, you have a form of greediness.
What happens to your family when you have the love of money within you? You destroy your family because then you have to work more. Your spouse has to work more and no one is raising your kids. This isn’t how life is supposed to be.
Romans 13:8 – Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
God is clear on that. Don’t go into debt. There are 5 main reasons for debt and anything outside of these is a waste:
1) House – Of course with this expense you are going to have to have a debt for this one. There are a few people that can pay cash but not most people. This is also a good investment as in most cases houses go up in value over time.
2) Car – This is not saying you should buy new because you shouldn’t. We need transportation but we don’t need the nicest car. If you have to finance one then find one with low miles that is 2-3 years old. By doing that you allow someone else to lose the value of it.
3) Education – This is very important for some but not always important to everyone. Depending on what you want to do with your future then you might not need a formal education but if you are going to be a doctor or something like that then of course you need that education and going in debt for that is OK. But remember just because you have a formal education doesn’t mean you are educated and just because you don’t have a formal education doesn’t mean you aren’t educated.
4) Business – Depending on what you want to do this can be a very smart debt. You should do a little research to see if your idea is feasible but this is a great benefit in many areas if you take the plunge. There is risk here so do what you need to do in order to minimize the risk.
5) Medical – It’s bad that this has to be on the list but we all know that bad things happen. When bad things happen you are going to be in debt. You have to take care of your heath so if you have to go into debt for this then don’t feel bad just do it and move on.
From what I have seen those are the only reasons a person should be in debt. Consumer debt is what is killing most people. Can you imagine when our economy collapsed if every person in this country was out of debt except from those things? As a society we would have been in such a better position.
I know most don’t agree but if you have to put items like electronics or man toys on credit then your heart isn’t ready. The love of money verse has your name written all over it. Yes I know we need to enjoy life but we need to be smart about it too.
I am sure by this point you are like but what about the true greed? Well the greed that I have talked about in this blog post is what kills most families. It is a greed that most people don’t think about. Even though most don’t see this as greed, it is. It’s called keeping up with the Jones’.
I wanted to talk about the average persons greed because it is a greed that creeps up on people. It blinds people because they look at this as a part of life when in reality it isn’t supposed to be. By getting into all this debt you not only destroy your family’s future but you also make it where you can’t financially give into God’s Kingdom.
So basically when you put money ahead of God and your family, that is wrong. Are you working 60-80 hours a week just to pay the bills because of debt? What if you could get yourself out of debt overtime then you can drop working from 60 hours a week down to 40.
Wouldn’t that make such a difference in your family’s life? Imagine putting those extra 20 hours a week into your marriage and kids’ lives? Imagine what kind of changes that would make to your family?
I can tell you what that would do, it would change the world if everyone did this. Kids would have dads teaching them right from wrong and wives would have their husbands there for them not just emotionally but physically which is important also.
Your family doesn’t just need quality time as society says but also quantity time. Don’t believe that LIE that you just need quality time with your family. Satan started that I am sure. Our families need us there in person.
Ask God to help you find a way to get yourself out of consumer debt. Ask him to show you areas where your spending is out of control and where you need to put money. Ask him to guide you through courses that may help you with your money.
Ask God to give you the courage to make big changes in your financial budget so that you have money at the end of your month. This isn’t about working longer hours but in being smart with your money.
Living an Inspired Marriage!
Chris Benton
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