Attitudes Toward Money, Contentment, and the Life That Really Is Life

Contentment is not contained in wealth.

You can be content whether you are wealthy or poor. Contentment is an attitude, a choice, and a way of thinking. We gain it in the pursuit of values that transcend wealth.

You have a relationship with money, whether you are aware of it or not.

You may think there is never enough.

You may feel that if you could just have more, all of your problems would go away and you would be happy.

You may say that you despise money. You may avoid thinking about it. You may not understand how it works.

It could be a love/hate relationship.

Money is a great tool, but it is a relentless overlord.

Money is a great servant, but an awful master.

If you follow money trails, they can lead you to what motivates many trends.

To use money wisely and regard it with a certain respect is necessary. To love it and center your life around it is a disaster.

We are going to reflect a bit on I Timothy 6:6-19.

Godliness with Contentment

In Timothy 6:6–10, Paul teaches that godliness joined with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into the world and will take nothing out. If we have the necessities of life, we are invited to learn contentment. But those who are driven by the desire to be rich fall into temptation, damaging desires, and spiritual danger. The love of money becomes a root of many kinds of evil and can lead people away from faith and into many sorrows.

We will return to this reading in a few minutes.

It is not money, as some have carelessly quoted, that is the root of all evil.

Money is fine. It is neutral. A pot of money in the corner of a room will not attack you from behind and render you any harm.

It is the love of money that is pregnant with the potential to corrupt and give birth to all manner of evil.

Another word for it is greed.

Greed initiates wars, ruins relationships, destroys reputations, incites violence, stimulates larceny, and oppresses the poor.

The love of money diverts the focus of otherwise good people to selfish ends and distorts their thinking.

The love of money competes with our love for God, and that is all the reason we need to shun it.

Money can be a powerful tool for good, but it is only a tool.

Money in God’s hands, and in the hands of those who do his bidding, can heal the sick, feed the hungry, and proclaim God’s Word throughout the entire world.

It takes money to live in our economy, but when it has the wrong place in our lives, it can make life unlivable.

Money is not good, but it is not bad either. It represents our work and our investments, but that is all it is.

Some people love money and use God and people.

We are called to love God and people and use money.

When all of that is in order, we have nothing to fear about money.

However, the caution from the old pastor to the young pastor and the people he leads is central to the calling of all who follow Jesus in a world of greed and selfish ambition.

What Are We Pursuing?

[Scripture Placeholder: 1 Timothy 6:11–16]
Paul turns from warning to calling. He tells Timothy to flee from greed and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. He calls him to fight the good fight of faith, take hold of eternal life, and live faithfully before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

How shall we think and lead?

What shall we pursue?

Another word is “chase.”

What should be central to our goals?

This works in life, in ministry, and in business where we measure effectiveness, so often, in financial health.

Our pursuit defines our priorities.

Pursue righteousness.

Pursue godliness.

Pursue faith.

Pursue love.

Pursue endurance.

Pursue gentleness.

Fight the good fight of the faith.

Take hold of eternal life.

Set your eyes on Jesus.

These are goals that cannot be defined on a spreadsheet. They cannot buy bigger houses, but they can bring contentment.

A Word to Those Who Have Wealth

So, what do we say to those who are financially successful through their own efforts or sheer good “fortune”?

[Scripture Placeholder: 1 Timothy 6:17–19]
Paul instructs those who are rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in uncertain riches. Instead, they are to put their hope in God, who richly provides. They are to do good, be rich in good works, be generous, and be ready to share. In doing so, they store up a lasting treasure and take hold of the life that is truly life.

Let me briefly break it down.

Don’t be haughty.

Hope only in God, who, unlike earthly riches, never fails.

Enjoy the blessings God gives.

Do good.

Be generous.

Use your riches to help others.

Take hold of the life that is really life.

“Take hold,” Paul says.

He says it to the poor, and he says it to the rich.

Take hold of eternal life.

Take hold of the life that is really life.

Your attitude toward money, your relationship with money, really comes down to this question:

What is life about?

There is an old folk song that says:

You can’t take it with you, Brother Will, Brother John.
You can’t take it with you, Brother Will, Brother John.
You’ll have to leave it when the coffin lid’s on.
You can’t take it with you, Brother Will, Brother John.

Be content in God.

Learn the secret of contentment in Jesus Christ.

It starts with a simple “yes” to God.

I am going to pursue something other than what everybody else is pursuing.

I am going to invest my life into the Savior and Lord who loved me and gave himself for me.

I am going to trust him and follow him.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face to shine upon you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and be gracious unto you and give you peace.

Peace and more peace.

Amen.