Is Money Our Servant Or Our Master?

In 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV, Paul exhorted young Timothy to “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

In the aftermath of the sinking of the ill-fated Titanic (see here), reports noted that eleven millionaires had been among the hundreds on board who went to a watery grave in April 1912. Their combined wealth totaled nearly two hundred million dollars. Yet if these millionaires could have sent a message to the living about the most important things in life, not one would have mentioned money.

Newspapers also reported that Major Arthur Peuchen of Toronto, who was a survivor of the tragedy (see list), had left more than three hundred thousand dollars in money, jewelry, and securities in his cabin. He started back for the box when evacuation efforts began, but then thought an instant and quickly turned away. Later he said, “The money seemed a mockery at that time – I picked up three oranges instead.”

Marjorie Jackson was an eccentric millionaire who didn’t trust banks and hid millions of dollars in cash in closets, toolboxes, drawers, garbage cans and vacuum cleaner bags throughout her Indianapolis home. This was, however, not a well-kept secret and on May 7, 1977 she was found dead on her kitchen floor. Two thieves had made off with an estimated one million dollars (source).

What a sad epithet of a sophisticated lady who literally suffered a needless death, because she loved her money more than she did her life (1 Timothy 6:10). How are we regarding our money today? Is money our servant or our master?

Beloved, let us regard money as the Proverb writer did (Proverbs 23:5) and follow our Lord’s directive concerning our “treasures” (Matthew 6:19-20.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets