19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19–20 ESV)
“The point is, ladies and gentlemen, greed is good. Greed works, greed is right. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all its forms, greed for life, money, love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind — and greed, mark my words — will save not only Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA…Thank you.” — Gordon Gekko (Wall Street, 1987)
“Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve.”
“What idol has displace you?” he rejoined.
“A golden one”
This is the even-handed dealing of the world,” he said. “There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty; and there is nothing it professes to condemn with severity as the pursuit of wealth!”
“You fear the world too much,” she answered, gently. “All your other hopes have merged into the hope of being beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, engrosses you. Have I not?”
“What then?” he retorted. “Even if I have grown so much wiser, what then? I am not changed toward you.”
She shook her head.
“Am I?”
“Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so, until, in good season, we could improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry. You are changed. When it was made, you were another man.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
“This deadly plague reigns everywhere throughout the world. Men are grown mad with an insatiable desire of gain.” – John Calvin
6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But 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. 10 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.” (1 Timothy 6:6–10 ESV)
Much has been written and spoken concerning wealth; not only in secular, but also in sacred writings. What is the biblical perspective concerning the pursuit of material prosperity? For the next several days our study will concern Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 6 on wealth, and anxiety about the lack thereof.
Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 