There Are Many Things Money Cannot Buy

Money, money, money! It may make the world go round, but increasingly it also divides the population into two - the haves, and the have-nots. As an old song puts it: ‘The rich get rich and the poor get poorer.’ Not a day goes by without some aspect of the financial markets (and their impact on everyday life) making the news headlines, from huge bankers’ bonuses to low interest rates.

Money can provide the means to possess all the goods and gadgets we could ever want or desire. But what then? Can it buy us happiness, good health, inner satisfaction or a fulfilled life? Millions of people have found that it doesn’t.

Money has also given rise to one of the most common misquotations from the Bible: ‘Money is the root of all evil.’ What the Bible actually says is: ‘The love of money is the root of all evil’ (1 Timothy 6:10 King James Bible). Or, to quote a modern translation: ‘The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil’ (New International Version).

This puts a completely different perspective on a sometimes thorny subject. The Bible is not saying that money in itself is bad or evil. Rather, it’s what we do with it and how we go about getting it that causes many of the world’s problems.

Human nature hasn’t changed much since those words were first written centuries ago. Even then, ‘Del Boys’ were trying to make a quick profit at the expense of others. More recently, the quest for money has led to the exploitation and misery of thousands through organised crime and human trafficking.

Yes, money talks. But it can talk for good, as well as bad. Take the inspirational example of Stephen Sutton, the 19-year-old who raised £2.2 million for the Teenage Cancer Trust before his death in May. It is just one example of the selfless giving of time to raise money for a good cause.

We may not ever make it on to the world’s rich list, but learning how to be content with what we have and living honestly within our means are great achievments.

UK & Ireland War Cry 14 June 2014