Murdered by Money
Want a pay raise? Ready for a new car? In our rush to have a nicer, safer, and more comfortable life, we often let money make our decisions. Men who would love to be home with their families will steal hours away from them just for some overtime pay or to qualify for a company incentive bonus. Moms who would love to be home with their kids will let the lust for things pull them out of the home where they trade their time for money and exchange their family for finances.
Greed twists our perception of reality. Most of the problems in our world today come from men and women who put money before everything else. Corporations dump poisons into our candy, packaged foods, and even “health” products for the sake of raising their bottom line. Preachers change their message so as not to offend those who give the most. Politicians form their opinions around the dollars present by special interests and lobby groups. Businesses layoff quality workers with families to support so they can hire cheap help with no long-term commitment. Companies like Wal-Mart and McDonald’s boost their profit margin by hiring part-timers, working them on a chaotic schedule, and denying benefits or fulltime opportunities to most employees. Our furniture, cars, and tools are all flimsy junk now as companies use scientific calculations to determine how cheaply they make can stuff without lowering their prices.
Get a taste for the conflict the love of money raises when you put yourself into this scenario. Let us say you own a used car lot. You have an older Dodge Caravan for sale from which you will profit about $3,000. An older woman approaches you about this vehicle saying she would like something like it for hauling around the grand kids. Now, you know this kind vehicle has a weak transmission and it has high enough mileage to start having problems soon. Now, sense the tension between what you ought to do (give full disclosure to the potential customer) and your immediate desire (you need the money). Will your conscience or your craving win? Think of how much simpler this situation would be if you did not own the car and the lady is your grandmother. If you were out shopping for a minivan with grandma, you would make sure she knew the risk of buying such a vehicle.
Consider how different things would be at home if money were not the issue. Think of how your professional life would change. You might view church differently. You might treat your friendships differently—or even change friends entirely.
What if we could replace money with love? If manufacturers in China would work just out of their goodwill for humanity, I doubt they would put lead paint on children’s toys or use harmful ingredients anymore. If coffee growers in South America began growing coffee for the good of humanity, I am sure they would stop using DDT and other poisons like they do now to make their enterprise profitable. If it were not for the money, you probably would not spend your day with the same people. Just think, you might prioritize your family again.
I do not see any cash in eternity. God takes modern currency and turns it into pavement and pillars. The only commodity market in heaven is God’s love. Interesting, we can live by the rule of love now. As a child of God, ask Him to show you where you have become a slave to money. Start over and do what you do from love. No one can live for God and for a love of money, too.