Does Money Make the World Go Round?

If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life. Billy Graham

Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables of Jesus deal with money. One out of ten verses in the New Testament deals with that subject. Scripture offers about five hundred verses on prayer, fewer than five hundred on faith, and over two thousand on money. The believer's attitude toward money and possessions is determinative.  John MacArthur

There is a saying that says “money makes the world go round.”  The world makes it hard to keep our focus on God.  There are so many things going on around us that it is easy to become distracted.

My husband and I went to dinner last night and were joined by an acquaintance.  This acquaintance made the comment to me that he hadn’t seen me in a long time.  I commented back that I had been busy.  He knows that I spend most Friday evenings and weekends with my parents helping them with their business.  He then made a strange comment or at least I thought it was strange.  He said “I hope your parents appreciate and remember how much time you spend with them and what you do for them.” 

Remember me for what?  I was shocked or maybe amazed that someone could think like that. I responded by telling him that all the blessing I will ever need I have already received by being able to spend the time with them now.  I don’t need or want what they do or don’t have in the way of possessions on this earth.  The wisdom and love these two people have given me throughout my life is worth more than any amount of money. 

How do you get to the point where money means everything and relationships don’t?  This acquaintance is an only child whose parents passed away and left him all of their possessions and money when they died.  He spends the majority of his time watching his stocks and worrying about if he will have enough money to retire.  He still owns a flip phone and last night he said his stockbroker told him he needed to buy a smart phone so that he could get his stock updates on his phone.  He said when he checked into getting rid of his flip phone, it was going to cost him $159 to get out of his contract.  I’m thinking to myself, “Dude, money is your obsession.” 

My husband will ask him what he plans to do with all his money and stocks and he will say “I am going to live off of it when I retire.”  Retire for what?  This is an example of a guy who goes to church but doesn’t get the big picture.  The big picture is that everything we own is not ours.  The money we accumulate is not ours.  God makes the world go round and he will also bring it to a screeching halt one day and all the money and stocks in the world will not change the reality of this truth.      

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am often guilty of using money to pursue happiness.  What I have learned is that money will not buy happiness, love or salvation.  Our only true source of happiness, love and salvation is found in You.  I pray that you will help me to keep my focus on You and to realize that money is just an object of this world.  I don’t believe there will be banks on every corner in heaven. 

Scripture:  Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  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.  1 Timothy 6:6-10