One of the most frequently misquoted verses is 1 Timothy 6:10. Christians who operate their own home based business opportunities need to understand that money is not the root of all evil. Rather, it's the love of money that is the root of all evil. The reason is simply because the love of money has caused many to stray from the truth in their greediness. The end result is they pierce themselves through with many sorrows when their home businesses fail.
So let's set the record straight about the difference between earning huge profits in a Christian home based business with the right attitude verses earning profits with the wrong attitude. After all, it's challenging enough to be a Christian in business without feeling God is somehow against us for being successful.
Not long ago there was a Newsweek article that reported: "For one thing, Scripture is full of exhortations against accumulating wealth. The New Testament, especially, repeatedly reminds followers of Christ that earthly wealth means nothing in heaven. 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God,' says Jesus."
Is this true? Are the Scriptures full of exhortations against accumulating wealth? Did Jesus repeatedly remind his followers that earthly wealth means nothing in heaven? The answers are yes and no. It's true that financial wealth we accumulate on earth in our home based businesses will not accompany us to heaven. It will all stay behind. It's also true that Jesus warned his disciples about misplaced priorities - such as letting the love of money come before our love for the Lord.
However, it's completely false to say the Scriptures are full of exhortations against accumulative wealth. In fact, there are numerous examples of financially successful people all throughout the Bible: Abraham, Isaac, Solomon, Job, Joseph of Arimathaea, and Zacchaeus just to mention a few. Plus there are all these passages: The Lord sends poverty and wealth (1 Samuel 2:7); With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity (Proverbs 8:18); Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life (Proverbs 22:4); God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires (Ecclesiastes 6:2).
As long as Christians keep our focus on the God who blesses with material wealth and prosperity, our home based businesses will be blessed. Those who lack material wealth are unable to do the things for the Lord that those of us who are blessed with wealth are able to do. We are able to take from the profits of our home business enterprises and contribute to ministries, to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, to help the poor and those who suddenly find themselves in need, and to mentor other faithful Christians to be successful in their home based businesses as well.
The apostle Paul told Timothy, Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Those of us who have been so richly blessed with profitable home based business enterprises know we can never put our trust in uncertain riches. We put our trust in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Plus, we take from the wealth which God has blessed us and we share it in doing good works for others. God blesses the Christian business entrepreneur so that we can in turn be a blessing to others.
So, is money the root of all evil? Absolutely not. The Lord blesses those of us who keep our priorities straight and who have the correct attitude toward wealth. Why? Because we don't see the wealth we generate from our home based business enterprises as a means of simply accumulating great possessions for ourselves. We see money as something we can put to work in ways that will be a blessing to the Lord in return.
Money is not the root of all evil. The root of all evil is the love of money. The Christian business entrepreneur operating a home based business must always keep this subtle difference in mind. It's the difference between being a dark well of greed verses being a fresh spring of blessings to others that brings ultimate glory to God.
David Webb
http://www.mylittlegoldmine.com
davidwebb1000@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment