Are You Hungry for Money?

Tonight I am sitting at my computer with the purpose of determining my goals in life. I have done this before, maybe once every year or so. But since each new "goal update" is based on changes to previous goals, I decided to run a search on my computer for all files with the word "goals". As I was looking through the files and determining my goals, I found this interesting article I had written for myself a few years ago. Since I was very edified by reading it, I thought I would post it so others might be edified also. Here it is...


"One thing I learned as a real estate agent is the importance of goal setting to increase motivation. This sounds great, but desiring to live my life in such a way that was wholly pleasing to God, I didn’t want to set the goals that others set. For instance, the most common goal was the amount of money any given person had planned to make that year. It was, of course, a relatively high amount, and the financial goal drove the person to commit to a minimum certain amount of work each day.


The problem with monetary ambition is the Bible specifically warns people to not pursue riches. Setting a goal with riches in mind opposes 1 Timothy 6:9-10 which plainly says that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

There are two significant phrases I want to make sure I don’t miss: “those who desire to be rich” and “through this craving”. It is the desire, the craving for riches that God opposes. Desiring to be rich falls into the same basket as setting a goal to be rich.

While on this subject, let me point out that though God opposes the coveting of riches, He does honor and instruct us to work hard in what we do. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

And while I think goals can be good and praiseworthy, the Bible must be our ultimate goal book."

Let me also add that God does give riches to those who are diligent. The goal is not riches. The goal is diligence to honor God. The REWARD then becomes riches, if God so desires.

"A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." Proverbs 10:4