God or Gad?

Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

"Love of money is the root of all evil...

but you, man of God, flee from all these" (1 Tim 6:10,11)

A young man was boasting before Jesus that he had kept all the commandments of God from his youth, and he asked what he still lacked. Jesus answered him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me" (Mt 19:20,21). But the young man went back saddened.

The awfulness of the love of money is rarely preached these days. Jesus referred to this subject so often in His discourses. Apostle John did not mix up his words when he said, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 Jn 2:15). While listing the signs of perilous last days, apostle Paul put "love of self" and "love of money" on top (2 Tim 3:1,2). We cannot serve God and gold at the same time. We will either hate the one and love the other, or be loyal to the one and despise the other (Mt 6:24). "Gad," the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, means "fortune!" We can have either God or Gad, not both!

A Tamil proverb says that even a corpse will open its mouth if it's for money! It can be true of those who are dead spiritually. They are dead "in" sin. But we are dead "to" sin and the ungodly systems and values of the world. Let's keep our eyes on things Above! (Col 3:1,2). Covetousness is idolatry in the eyes of God (v 5b). How serious and treacherous!

The desire to become rich is only natural. But we must overcome it realising its eternal worthlessness (Prov 23:4). "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" (1 Tim 6:6-8). Mother Teresa who lived with just two saries and a bucket, and Mahatma Gandhi who was topless have left greater impact in the Indian society than others. John Wesley said, "To lay up treasure on earth is as plainly forbidden by our Master as adultery and murder!" Love of money chokes the plant of our life and makes it unfruitful (Lk 8:14). If we have more than what we need, it is to be given away to those in need!

"We do not realise how much we are attached to the good things of the world until they are taken from us!"

(St. Augustine, 354-430)

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