by Justin Cooper
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
After a long day of work, a man went home to his wife and young daughter. “Have you got a kiss for your Father?” he asked his daughter. “No,” answered his child. “I’m ashamed of you!” the man joked. “Your daddy worked hard all day to make money just for you, and this is how you thank me. Come on, how about my kiss?” Looking him right in the eye, she answered, “How about my money?”
Without even mentioning names, there is no doubt that the reading of this verse brings to mind and to memory names and faces of those who started faithful, fundamental, and fruitful but ended up flip-flopping or falling out due to finances. Our world today is driven by dollars.
One man stated, “It’s dangerous when your yearning capacity becomes greater than your earning capacity!”
When I first entered the ministry on a full-time basis, I left lying on my desk a contract to teach history coursed in a local high school. The pay for the position started at over $30,000 a year plus full benefits to boot. I had been teaching in a different school previously and had received good pay and benefits there as well. When the Lord began to move in my heart, and without a doubt was leading me into evangelism, it was not easy to say goodbye to my current paychecks or to the prospect of a better paying job. However, I knew God was directing my steps. I’m happy in His will!
Through the years since, as I travel across our country and speak with young preachers and young Christians for that matter, I find a troubling trend. Rarely do I find a young Christian today that either has already or is willing to surrender to full-time Christian service. Many have good aspirations as far as secular jobs are concerned, but I fear many believers with whom God could do great things are missing the boat just to make a buck. The hungering for money that consumes many Christians has no doubt led to the spiritual starvation of multitudes of sinners!
It should never be the Christian who is wringing his hands over the prospect of insufficient provision. God always provides for His people!
Charles Spurgeon recounted a childhood memory of his grandfather’s need of a new milk cow following the death of his previous cow.
“My grandmother asked, ‘What will you do now?’ My grandfather replied, ‘I cannot tell what we shall do, but I know what God will do. God will provide for us. We must have milk for the children.’ The next morning there came twenty pounds for him. He had never made application to the fund for the relief of ministries, but on that day there was five pounds left when they had divided the money, and one said, ‘There is poor Mr. Spurgeon down there in Essex; suppose we sent it to him.’ The chairman said, ‘We had better make it ten pounds, and I will give five pounds.’ Another five pounds was offered by another member, if a matching amount could be raised to make it up to twenty pounds; which was done. They knew nothing about my grandfather’s cow, but God did and there was the new cow for him.”
For the Timothy, a truth that must be continually on his heart and in his head is that his reward in Heaven will far surpass anything he might have attained on earth. For the faithful servant of God, on the streets of Glory, there will be no regrets, remorse, or reconsiderations about a life of service; it pays to serve God! Outside of the future and spiritual blessings of being used of God, I will testify to say that in our years of traveling in evangelism, my wife and I have never missed a meal, never lacked for nice clothing, and never slept under a bridge. We have a nice home, drive a nice car, and are able to enjoy our lives together. Our needs are met, and more often than not our wants are supplied! What we might seemingly give up for God will be replaced a million times over by God!
We must not let the world’s financial fanaticism blur our focus.
Young preachers do not need the newest stereo, television, rifle, wrist watch, or muscle car. We must live within our means. If we trust God, have faith in God, and wait upon God, our needs will be met in every way! We are storing up treasures in Heaven! We must not cave in to the cash craze!