Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”  Hebrews 13:5

“How much money is enough?” the counselor asked. Roy lifted his chin. “One more dollar,” he said with a proud nod. Roy’s wife closed her eyes and shook her head. “Roy, you’re about to lose your family,” the counselor pleaded. “Your kids don’t even know you and your wife is ready to divorce you.” Roy shrugged. “I had nothing growing up, and when I was ten, I swore I’d never lack for anything ever again. So my kids have everything they want and so does she. Why can’t they be happy about it?”

Most of us may not be as blatant about our love of money as Roy is, but there’s a little Roy inside all of us. We justify our love affair with money by telling ourselves we want to help people with it. However, in truth, we see money as security. Enough money insulates us from a host of problems. But we never have quite enough because our problems get more expensive. God confronts that lust for more money with this promise: “I will never leave you.” His point is that money does leave us. Money is a fickle friend and a wicked boss. It promises a golden palace, but delivers Motel 6. When we place our value or security in our bank balance, we open the door of our hearts to greed, envy, anxiety, and selfishness. Money will let us down. God won’t.

Final Thought:  How much money is enough for you? Is your security defined by that number?

Prayer: Father, I confess to you that my desire for money is more than it should be. I say I want to help others with it, but you and I know better. I place a lot of trust in money that should be in you. Help me change that.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.