The Focus of Your Love

Tuesday - November 16th

Scripture to Read Today: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

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The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

And some people, craving money, have wandered

from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:10 NLT

1 Timothy 6:10 is one of the most misquoted verses from the Bible. Christians tend to quote it inaccurately as much as non-Christians. People leave "the love" out when they share the text with others. "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" becomes "money is the root of all kinds of evil." The three little words make a huge difference in understanding what the Apostle Paul was saying to Timothy.

Money itself is not the root of all kinds of evil. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil. Just having money, having wealth does not produce sin in our lives. Paul makes it clear that it is "craving money" that causes people to wander. They wander from the truth and into all kinds of evil.

Notice that a person does not even have to have a lot of money - or any money at all. Loving it and craving it can happen without possessing it. I have known very wealthy people who do not demonstrate a love or craving for money. They are content in Christ, not their riches. I have also known people who were very poor but craved money, and it ruined them.

When we love Christ completely, nothing, not even the wealth of this world, can disrupt that love. Our pursuit and passion in life must be for our Savior and His Kingdom. Nothing and no one else should have that place of priority or value for us.

When you fully love Jesus, you have no room to love or crave wealth. So, where is the focus of your love? On Jesus? On Money?

When the focus of your love is on Christ, it cannot be on the riches of this world!