The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
–1 Timothy 6:10
It’s easy to see why people tend to worship money: It provides security. It reduces stress. And it’s the key to fulfilling many of our desires. One final reason we crave money is that it provides independence. Think about the phrase independently wealthy. The two are tied together: if you’re wealthy, you can be independent; you don’t need anyone else.
I think the desire for independence was at work in the life of the prodigal son in Luke 15. More than anything, he wanted his share of the inheritance so he could get out from under his father’s authority and live on his own. He wouldn’t have to answer to anyone except himself. We all have that independent spirit within us, but the Bible says that is not a healthy attitude.
In fact, we see the desire for independence in the story of the very first sin in the universe. Lucifer said, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). Lucifer wanted to be the number-one guy, and God cast him out of heaven. It’s no coincidence that Lucifer–now known as Satan–used the same temptation in the garden of Eden. He told Eve, in essence, “If you eat the fruit God has forbidden you to eat, you’ll be just like God.” Yes, money offers independence. But the independence we crave can be harmful to our spiritual health.
That’s why money is a double-edged sword: a love of money leads to dangerous desires, and its promise of happiness is an empty one. Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie once wrote, “Wealth lessens rather than increases human happiness. Millionaires who laugh are rare.” And railroad magnate William Henry Vanderbilt allegedly said, “The care of two hundred million dollars is too great a load for any brain or back to bear; it is enough to kill a man. There is no pleasure to be got out of it.”
The promise of money to provide happiness is an illusion, but the power of money to destroy our lives and our relationship with God is very real. Paul said it this way: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). (Jeffress)
