More, more, more (1 Tim. 6:6–19)
Like a loving parent gives advice to their child, Paul gives Timothy some words of warning, direction, and encouragement. He urges Timothy to be content with what God has given him, to be generous with what he has, and to hold on to his identity as a child of God.
Wanting more
It’s very common for us to have envy. I like my Pajero and I’m very grateful to have a decent vehicle to go camping in, but as soon as I see a 300 Series Land Cruiser on the street, the good old Paj doesn’t seem as good anymore. I get four-wheel drive envy.
Guitar players can get guitar envy when they see someone playing their dream guitar that has always been too expensive to justify buying. When the next-door neighbour builds a big brand-new shed, blokes (usually) are susceptible to fall into shed envy. Plant-lovers get plant envy when they visit a friend’s house and find that they’ve had no trouble getting something to grow that you’ve always struggled with.
It's predictable, normal, and even expected that we feel envy from time to time. Generally, these kinds of desires are harmless, and we even laugh about them. However, there is a real danger in wanting more.
But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (1 Tim. 6:6–8)
Being content is a wonderful state to be in. When are you most content? Having a cold non-alcoholic beverage after mowing the lawn? Having a hot shower after playing sport in torrential rain? Packing your work bag after sending off that last email on a Friday? Coming home from BCF after buying the car fridge you’ve always wanted?
Moments of complete contentment and satisfaction are rare, which is what makes them so special. Treasure those moments and remember them because by nature, we always want more.
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. (1 Tim. 6:9)
Our desires, our envies, are like a trap. They usually seem quite harmless, and we might even view them as a good thing. They come in all shapes and sizes.
We can desire material things like cars, houses, and sheds, but there are other kinds of desires that fall under the same banner.
Social desires: longing to be seen as a good person and made to feel important.
Sexual desires: having eyes for someone that is not our spouse.
Financial desires: willing to spend time at work rather than family if it means saving more for the future.
Why do you think God, in his ten rules for living a God-pleasing life, takes up two of them with laws protecting us from coveting what isn’t ours? The others that include murder, stealing, and adultery all stem from our out-of-control desires. These are all damaging in their own ways, but Paul specifically warns against the love of money today. He says that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. The love of money is where it all starts and it drives us to do terrible things to each other. It’s even capable of driving a person away from their faith.
Not in an obvious way, notice. “It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
We do this to ourselves. Our own desires, especially our financial desires, lure us into a spiral of destruction of self and everyone around us.
Having more
It’s one thing to want more, particularly money. What happens once we have plenty? You’ve reached your savings goal and finally feel a sense of financial security.
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Tim. 6:17–19)
When we get what we want, we can easily fall into two dangers. The first is that we spend our money on all the material things we want and end up where we started—the cycle starts again. The second is that we find so much security and strength in our financial position that we feel like we don’t need anything or anyone else. You could argue that the latter is more dangerous than the first, but the desire for wealth is a danger whether we have wealth or not.
Set your hopes on God. Put your trust in God. Find your meaning and purpose in God, not in your money.
Money in itself is not evil, nor are material possessions, social status, or sex. God created human beings to be ambitious, emotional, and empathetic creatures. What creates the problem is the sinful desire that becomes associated with these things.
Money is also uncertain. It can disappear in a moment. If all our hope and sense of meaning is in our money, when we lose it, we lose everything.
Put your hope in God, who richly provides, and be rich in your good works to others. When your hope isn’t in your money, but in God, your money becomes far easier to part with. When your hope is in God, you know that he will provide you with everything you need. Generosity goes from being a chore and a challenge to a joy and a privilege.
Being more
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evils.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tim. 6:11,12)
Life is a pursuit. All human beings are striving for something, whether it is a particular job, a sense of achievement, a good reputation, or any number of things. Our call as Christian people is to pursue God’s own characteristics. Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness… All wonderful gifts, all often opposite to what the world expects, all difficult at times, all only possible when our faith is in Christ Jesus.
Faith is a fight because we live in a broken, sinful world that will do everything it can to lure us away from it. “Take hold,” Paul says, “to the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession.”
When you were baptised, you were called into the body of Christ that exists in every time and every place, which we call the Church. You were made holy when the Holy Spirit was gifted to you. You were saved from the consequences of your sin and added to the Book of Life. Because you are sanctified, saved, and forgiven, you can be bold to even attempt to live as God asks.
When your hope is in God, who is permanent, unshakable, reliable, consistent, steadfast, and sure, you have nothing to lose because you have everything you could ever need.
He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Tim. 6:15,16)
