For The Love Of Money

Now I want you to know, our house wasn't a slum to deserve such a withering look. Granted, we weren't rich. We'd bought a house in a section of town that was filled with older homes. It was wonderful to us. The house wasn't run down, just not wealthy and modern. Our house was clean and the lawn cut and trimmed. No dead vehicles were laying around, no garbage here and there. His look was because it wasn't one of the expensive homes, found in other parts of town. We didn't figure out why he gave our house this look, until the end of our conversation. We never addressed it with him, but by fluke the conversation turned to money.

He was very proud of the number of exceedingly rich people who lived around the area. The way he talked, I'd have thought the rich were rich because of something he did! The amount of money in the area meant a great deal to him. It was clear that money controlled how he viewed and respected people.

The love of money sneaks up in so many ways, and so frequently. Let's take a look at what James said about this problem:

1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. James 2:1-9

The problem of judging others over their money, isn't limited to John Q. Public. We all fall prey to it, so must take special care to avoid falling into this way of thinking.

James calls judging others by their money, "respect to persons". Without thinking about our motive, we do this in many ways. We're not usually as blatant as James describes, but we do act under this same corrupt motivation.

Something we all need to be aware of, not all rich men are the oppressors as one might assume James is indicating. I've seen the poor oppressing and the rich being the persecuted. James was describing a predominant problem, not a hard and fast rule.

I'm going to do something I'm leery about in most circumstances. I'm going to use personal illustrations. In this instance, I can't see a better way to bring out the point.

When my son was going to join a baseball team, he was in the car at the park while my wife was taking care of things. He was alone with the windows open. Up came some boys his age, and started insulting to him over the car. It was an older Toyota Tercel, clean but faded blue paint. (Don't laugh, its paid for!) It wasn't beat up. I couldn't justify paying $350 a month, when my income couldn't budget such an expense. I know, that doesn't stop some people, but it does me. By the way, my wife was a coach that year. It turned out that the boys who were picking on my son, were on the same team as my son with my wife as their coach! When they realized that, they strangely straightened up. It's kind of like an Esther and Haman story.

The point of this story's that people easily judge others by their possessions. As I see it, I'd rather have a poorer looking car. That way, those who'd judge me by my possessions will be honestly nasty to me, instead of my having a nice looking car, and they lie to butter me up. If they're like that, I'd rather honestly know they're such. If I have friends, I want honest friends who like me for who I am, not what I've got. This problem's probably far more common than you'd begin to realize.

Another condemning the poor story took place in my life many years ago. My wife and I had one child at the time. Our budget had been reduced to as small as we could possibly make it. We had no credit cards to pay or anything like that. We had an old, almost broken down car (sometimes broken down). I remember running out of toothpaste and not being able to buy any for about a month. We fortunately had baking soda, oh yum yum, though my wife now strangely enjoys the stuff. We also had $20 to buy food for the three of us. It had to make it for three weeks. We ate a lot of macaroni and cheese and Top Ramen¨. We didn't want to get on the welfare food supply, so didn't. At this same time, we continued faithfully tithing. We also had people around us who hated us with a seething hatred. We didn't know the reason, at the time. Years later, my wife was recalling this period in our lives with someone. This person started crying and related the rest of the story. The reason we were meeting such hostility, was because someone was spreading the story they were paying our bills for us. This wasn't true, but at least some who heard this story despised us, thinking we were freeloading. Some even tried to figure out how much we earned and calculated that we must be freeloading to be making it. Let me add here that no one else knew about situations like the toothpaste and how much we had to buy food with. I hope this story will make anyone who easily thinks lightly of the poor, to think a second and third time before they despise them. Appearances can easily be deceiving, and Satan can always provide a misinformer to further his work.

Remember, a major portion of Jesus' work was to help the poor. The continuing responsibility fell on the church.
Jesus always considered the poor:

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Matthew 19:21

Jesus made it His goal to see the poor weren't neglected due to poverty:

18a The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; Luke 4:18a

Unless Jesus was in the habit of giving to the poor, His disciples wouldn't have come to the following conclusion:

29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. John 13:29

The early church saw it as part of their responsibility to help the poor:

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. Romans 15:26

In Corinthians, we see the problem of shaming the poor, the despising that took place. We see it strongly condemned:

22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 1 Corinthians 11:22

Finally, we see this important charge was laid upon Paul by the apostles in Jerusalem:

10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. Galatians 2:10

The sin of judging by income doesn't only fall on the rich or comfortable. It's just as vibrant among the poor. This is the sin of covetousness.

Let's talk Microsoft and Bill Gates. From those around me, I came under the distinct impression most were for the breakup of Microsoft. The primary reason - they think it's wrong for one man to be so rich. Their basis for wanting the breakup had nothing really to do with "monopolies" or the possible "unethical business practices" of Bill Gates. They wanted to see a big man fall. They said he had so much money, he could afford to lose it. They accuse Bill Gates of being unethical, but I have to wonder about their ethics, delighting in seeing the rich suffer because he's rich. You see, this wickedness of judging by money, goes both ways: rich to poor and poor to rich.

Next, we have what I call the Bolshevik attitude. By this, I'm referring to the revolution in Russia under Lenin in the early 1900's. Lenin stirred the Bolshevik laborers, complaining about the rich landowners, and convincing the poor that the rich should justly lose their belongings. The property should become the possession of all the common people. We find that attitude again, "Why should that other man have more than me? It's not fair, so I'll just take it!" That kind of thinking sprouted the Bolshevik Revolution that started the many hard years of oppressive Soviet Socialist life.

Before my wife and I made a major move in our lives, we were living at poverty level. We didn't get on the welfare system. I worked for a living and paid my taxes. I didn't have a lot left for my own family's basic needs. A neighbor sucked the system for all it was worth. That neighbor didn't work for a living. They had a new car and a house bought for them by my tax dollars. We struggled and supported ourselves, they partied and enjoyed the handouts. Believe me, I'd rather live poor than like that. Well, we made that major move. We moved to an area that held the opportunity to still get off ground zero. We took the advantage. We got a loan for an older trailer we bought for a rental. From that we got more and then were able to make the transfer to houses. The work was hard and meant dealing with the worst of crowds. Of course, pipes froze and burst during the worst weather. Renters moved out suddenly without paying or left the place trashed. It meant putting the profits primarily into the property to keep growing instead of spending the profit on toys. Eventually you end up with a couple of houses that you take a good portion of the rental income to make the payments. You eventually will end up with cash in property, but in the meantime, you have a business you manage with enough profits to help support your daily needs with lots of pains.

Now, it has been our experience that a lot of renters (not all) have the Bolshevik attitude. They hate you because you are "rich". After all, don't you own more houses than the one you live in? You must be wealthy then, and you must be wealthy at their expense. They think it nothing to split without paying you and even steal things from the property because you're so wealthy, you can afford the loss. I've encountered people who want to hurt their landlords and destroy their landlord's homes, because of hatred for their assumed wealth.

After getting a few rentals, we still had to carefully watch our finances. I had health insurance I payed for monthly. When I had to go to the doctor, I didn't go at any whim, I couldn't afford it, having a high deductible. I couldn't afford the low deductible insurance. I only went when I felt I had to. The cost did have an impact on our pocket book. The welfare neighbor, who despised me because of my supposed "great wealth in houses" had no such worry when they went to the doctor. My tax dollars payed for almost all their medical expenses. They didn't struggle to pay for health insurance and easily went to the physician for any whim. It was so cheap for them. The people who have no qualms about perpetually living on the system, those who don't really try to get a job or keep one, easily hate those who fight tooth and nail to stand on their own. If they see them begin to get a footing, or appear to get ahead, they plot to take it from them.

I encountered one welfare recipient who felt the welfare office owed him those checks and spoke in the most abusive language to the office personnel when the checks didn't come on time.

Let me add here that not all people on welfare are like this. There are those truly in need and who will do their best to get on their own footing again. It's for this type of person the system was created. The reason I bring them up specifically as a class, is because the abusers flock to the system, and these abusers have that Bolshevik attitude. They hate those they believe to be "rich" and would love to relieve them of whatever they have. What's more, I've seen some of these people involved in churches. This attitude isn't found just outside the church.

A slight drift in this area of the topic, falls in the envy department. Some of the poor see those with more money who are stingy in the church. They suffer in their poverty and are infuriated when they see Mr. and Mrs. Tightwad complain about how they have to watch their pennies, when they have three or four new cars in the driveway of a palatial house. Now the Tightwads may not realize how they look, or what real poverty is, but the poor need to remember that this bitterness and envy breeds a Bolshevik attitude. We easily look away from God as our Supplier and look to things and circumstances. Bitterness begins to fill our hearts, and gratitude to God goes. Our fellowship with God is severed when we let the Tightwads burrow under our skin.

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:5,6

This passage speaks multitudes to our aching hearts. He is faithful to care for us. We can, if we choose, look to Him in our poverty and abide in peace as we journey through it. It's never easy, but it's possible. Peace is much preferable to envy and hate.

Something that hits all of us, both poor and rich is the inability to let go of money. This is a broad topic in itself, but I want to bring up just one point. I was at a freewill offering concert of a certain Christian musician. He gave a rather powerful testimony and I believe he was really working for God. When the offering plate was passed around, I noticed a very elderly lady sitting in front of me. I was curious if she would make any offering, considering her age, possibly fixed income level and musical taste. She didn't contribute anything. What interested me was that a little later, after the offering, an intermission was given. People could just stretch their legs or buy copies of his music at some tables in the hall. She came back with music she'd purchased. In my ponderings I thought, "People give only if they materially get something in exchange. The unselfish hearts so rare today." That's why many ministries try getting people to give by offering gifts if they make an offering right then. A limited time offer! Oh, for the love of money!

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. Luke 21:1-4

Many poor feel they're so poor they can't afford to contribute, but pay special attention to this account in Luke. If we refrain from giving, we withhold God's ability to return more abundant blessing on us.

16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:16

To communicate means to help by giving. The writer of Hebrews refers to this as a sacrifice. God isn't ignorant of this fact.

I've dealt with a very difficult issue here. We need to stop pursuing the love of money. Hopefully, I've opened some eyes where this love is flourishing, when it was thought to be absent. This is a serious problem that needs to be squarely faced, whether you're poor, rich, or somewhere in between. Start an honest accounting before God of your attitudes in this. From there, start rectifying the books. Get an honestly balanced book in your heart before God.