February 18 | What We Want

Paul moves from a reminder about our basic needs to a warning about desiring wealth. Paul uses vivid words—temptation, trap, foolish, harmful, plunge, destruction, wandered, pierced and griefs—to help us grasp the danger depth. He is making the point that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It isn’t something to mess with. You’re taking a great risk.

Paul uses the word “plunge” to evoke the idea of a ship sinking. Chasing after wealth can cause us to do some pretty dumb things like lying, cheating, stealing, neglecting other areas of life or being a jerk. We can shipwreck a scholarship chance, marriage, job, relationship with our kids, spot on the team, retirement, business or friendships. We’ve all seen it happen.

It can be easy to think this doesn’t apply to us. We rarely state aloud that we want to get rich. Instead, we use subtle phrases like getting ahead, being comfortable, or saying we’ve made it. These things are not bad, but the longing for them is. A desire for these things is chasing after wealth. Watch this video clip as Pastor Aaron Buer tells us that we need to make sure we aren’t falling in love with money. It’s so dangerous because it can shipwreck our most important relationship—with God. Wealth is often not a friend to faith, and chasing after it is especially perilous. True wealth is found only in God.