Blood Money

Did you ever sit down and think about what you would do for money?

In many cases money seems to be the main factor in many people’s lives.  Let’s face facts you can’t do a lot without it.  In fact some people believe money can buy you happiness, which is simply not the truth.  From what I understand, most of the people that have won the lottery, it has ruined their lives.

What did Jesus say about rich people in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6:19, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal.”  I don’t think Jesus was against anyone having money, the problem was, what was their motive for getting it?  The Lord is always concerned with the intents of the heart.  He knew that there was a danger in having a lot of money.  

At one time Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)  I heard a couple different meanings of this and I think one went like this. When people came into Jerusalem with their camels there was a tree that was split in the middle that looked like the eye of a needle.  In order for the camel to go through, it would have to get down on its knees and shimmy through, so to speak, and it had a very hard time being loaded down with whatever was on its back. I am not sure if this was true but that is what I was told!  But, whatever the case it sounds to me like a warning to the rich.

Like I said before, the Lord isn’t against having money, it is the way we get it and what our motive is for wanting it, plus what will you do with it? Remember King Solomon, God made him the richest and wisest king.  So the money is not the issue. It says in 1 Timothy 6:1, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  You see money is not the root of all evil, no, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil.  In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”  The problem is the heart, Matthew 6:21 says: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”  Having a lot of money many times will breed greed, always wanting to get more and never wanting to give any up.

Let me give you an example of this from the Word.  At one time there was a rich young man who came to Jesus and said, “What good things must I do to have eternal life?”  Jesus told him, “if you keep the commandments you will receive eternal life.”  Then the man said that he had kept the commandments that Jesus told him of, from his youth.  So the young man replied, “what else must I do.”  Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven.”  But when the young man heard this he went sadly away because he had many possessions.  What was his problem?  It was his heart, he had what is called the sin of idolatry.  His money and things meant more to him than Jesus.

I titled this lesson blood money, now let me explain.  Just like this young man forsook following Jesus for money, there was another man that betrayed Jesus for money also.  Remember Judas, the one who was in charge of the money bag for Jesus’ disciples?  It was blood money that was used in that plot.  Thirty pieces of silver was the price of the life of my precious Savior.  With sadness in my heart over what I just wrote, I am reminded, that but for the grace of God, there go I.

So the next time you think about being rich, I hope this lesson will come to your mind and you will think of your motive, why you want to be rich. Yesterday I was so excited about the lesson I feel the Lord gave me, but today I am sad about this one.

My response to this is to thank and praise the Lord!!  Try it - it will change your perspective too.  We can’t thank and praise Him enough for all He has done for us and also for who He is and what He is and what He is going to do.  Praise His precious Name, have a great day. God bless!