Walking with the Wise #3: When Desire Backfires

“Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
 it takes away the life of its possessors.” —Proverbs 1:19

We all have desires, but because of the Fall, our desires are corrupted. And in the worst of times, we will do whatever it takes to get what we want. So we must be careful, because our desires can backfire. Therefore, our desires must be weighed, honed, and evaluated to see whether or not they are good.

Today’s proverb talks about what happens when desire goes wrong. When we are overtaken by the desire to get what we didn’t earn or deserve, by deceit, stealing, or trickery, we will do some very foolish things. We will resort to tactics by which we believe we will attain the object of our desires—but the reality is that the tactic or strategy we employ to get it will be the very thing that causes our downfall. Paul talked about this when he wrote to Timothy about money. He said,  

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs”—1 Timothy 6:10.

Those who have a love of money hold a wrong belief that money will answer the longing in their hearts. So they do anything to get it—they will hurt themselves and others, as well as sacrifice their integrity, compromise their faith, and give into things that they otherwise would not give into. But their love of money continues to draw them. They press on and on, deeper and deeper, trying harder and harder to get something that money cannot buy. And as the downward spiral of disobedience continues on, they become worse and worse. This is how it all works—whenever someone sacrifices themselves to get money, they are losing their life. Think about the father who sacrifices himself for his business. He gives every night to his work in order to provide a nice, comfortable home for his family. But what he doesn’t realize is that his work and pursuit is not really for his kids, but for himself. He wants to be successful in the eyes of his peers and family. And his definition of successful requires him to be better than those around him. So he works and works. Meanwhile, his wife and children are neglected—all in in the name of getting them a better life. He believes that he is gaining his life and future, but the reality is he is squandering it.

Money and the love of money cause people to do stupid things. But the words of the proverb are just as true today as when they were written. Unjust gain might seem sweet, but it is a poison that kills. We must learn to live by faith, to understand what it means to love God and one another. And we must learn to cultivate contentment. Not that we don’t try to do well at our jobs, and not that there aren’t sacrifices made along the way. On the contrary, we must understand that sacrifices can and do happen as we pursue goals for ourselves and our families. But we must be very careful and aware of what we are sacrificing. If my success means sacrificing my family, then it is not worth it.

How about you? Do you have a love of money? Do you feel as if you are losing your life because of the financial choices you have made? Run to God! And then ask Him to help you apply His Word in order that you might continually know what it means to walk in holiness and truth. And may God enable each one of us to cultivate contentment in the midst of a culture of consumers—for His glory and our joy. Amen.