Nougat 10

What are some things that cause us to stray from our Faith? I can think of quite a few. In today’s Holy Nougat, we look at money as a distraction.

“Certainly, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people who have set their hearts on getting rich have wandered away from the Christian faith and have caused themselves a lot of grief.” 1 Timothy‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭GW‬‬

Recently I was exposed to a teaching on Faith. The preacher used money as the example and demonstrated that money is hardly ever what we need, but in it we see the possibility of acquiring that which we hoped for. Of course, use of such a practical example brought it home for many of us. But I also thought about how preoccupied many of us get with this money business.

Some equate money with Power; and dedicate ourselves to its pursuit. Even to the sacrifice of family and friends. But it isn’t. Power is its own issue and when bought can realize more problems if/when the money goes. While acquisition of wealth is good,

Others equate money with Prestige. And so we brag about how much we have accumulated. But it isn’t. For while poverty often denies us certain privileges, one can be highly esteemed while living in poverty. Moreover, as the late Prof. Rex Nettleford once said, “A buttu (uncouth person) in a [Mercedes] Benz is STILL very much a buttu.” Neither Money nor Acquisitions doth Prestige make.

Of course there are those who all but worship money. And they use every means necessary to get more and more, usually unscrupulously. From their actions, we may conclude that money is a god. But it isn’t. Money does not have creative capacity. It does and can enable us to be creative; with it we can have the ability to transform ourselves or situations, and so it may seem to be god-like. However, money does not love us, has not created us, has not ordered our steps and NEVER will.

So why then the rabid pursuit of something that is more often virtual than real? Why dedicate ourselves to acquiring more and more wealth? Especially in this new season, it is easy to get sidetracked when we have ‘needs’ and it seems that money is the only thing that can supply them.

We live in God’s world however, where miracles still unfold, where uncommon favour still abounds and where in an instant, things impossible can be transformed by God’s grace. We live in a world where we leave the money we work so hard to acquire behind when we die. Where another may scheme to take it away, while God has already made secure plans to supply our needs. Where that object of worship is exactly that – an object. It has no life and is subject to the user.

But God remains faithful and seeks each of us personally DAILY; sometimes even more than that. And while money and what it represents may seem alluring at this time; unlike God, it is fleeting. Might we choose to pursue the One Who has our best interests at heart and will provide (even from the pavement in Heaven)?

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May all we seek be found in Christ