February 2012
Dear friends,
Recently we read in the papers, about the head of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) being offered a huge bonus, a million pounds worth of RBS shares to be exact, for the work that he had done for the bank.
After consultation with his advisors, and pressure from Government and public alike, he decided not to take the money, which went some way to appease his critics who said words to the effect that in these days of cuts and a depressed economy it would have been wrong to have accepted the bonus.
Whatever we feel the rights and wrongs of this particular case are, money is certainly an issue that gets people talking, especially in times of economic and financial stress when people are struggling to make ends meet.
In reading this story in the newspaper, I decided to explore and reflect on what it is that the Bible says about money both in the Old and New Testaments. And the Bible has quite a bit to say on the subject.
Perhaps the most misquoted saying about money in the Bible is when people say that “money is the root of all evil”.
The correct quote is from the New Testament in the First letter of Timothy, chapter 6, verse 10, where it says that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”, and it goes on to say that “in their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains”- a warning that we need to use our money wisely and not to squander it.
In today’s celebrity culture we are inundated with stories of the rich and famous, and some television programmes promote the culture of wealth and riches. Programmes such as “Million Pound Drop” tempt people to win large sums of money, and programmes such as “Big Brother” and “I am a celebrity get me out of here” also offer large sums of money.
The flip side of this money grabbing culture is a programme called “The secret millionaire” in which a millionaire, unknown to the community in which he/she has chosen to work in, offers to become involved in some form of voluntary work or community project, and after working there for a while decides to donate his/her money to that particular project or voluntary group, as he/she has become so impressed with the important work that they are doing.
Of course we are not all millionaires and we cannot inject huge sums of money into different charities or voluntary groups, much as though we would like to. “The secret millionaire” is using wealth and riches wisely and this is to be applauded.
But the craving for money and for a fortune is not new, two thousand years ago Jesus said that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to the enter kingdom of God” [Mark 10, verse 25].
Jesus is not saying that it is wrong to be rich, but I believe that he is talking about priorities, and that we must be aware of those people who have little or no money, and that those who have wealth must be careful not to make money their God.
Today there are still some people who believe that money will solve all their problems, and of course it is good to have money, but in the words of the Beatles song “Money can’t buy you love”.
Our culture, through its adverts, is constantly urging us to spend our money on luxury items that most of us do not really need, and it is easy to be seduced by the gifts that are on show. So a lot of people are caught somewhere in the middle, between not being poor, but far from rich, and yet some people yearn for fame and status, and the perceived importance that money can bring.
But in the eyes of God, all who believe, and those striving to follow our Lord, often in very difficult circumstances, are rich and famous.
For as Christians, we possess the richness of a salvation that cannot be taken away from us, for as Christ says in the Gospel of Mathew “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thief’s break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth, nor rust, consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” [Mathew 6, verse 19, new Revised Standard Version Bible].
This treasure that Christ talks of is a Wealth and a Love that cannot be consumed by moths and rust. For when we die our Lord’s love and his salvation goes with us, unlike our earthly wealth and riches that we leave behind.
We are all precious and wealthy in the eyes of our Lord, his love for us surpasses any earthly fame or riches that we might want or possess, and in return, Christians are committed to love and serve the Lord, our God.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave us his only son, that everyone who has faith in him, may not perish, but have eternal life” .
Yours in Christ,
Peter
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