Does money make it worse?

I had a dream, and in this dream, I had somehow won the lottery. At first I was very happy, I had fortunes that I had never had before. I began to think about all the things I could do with this money. I could pay off the bills, I could buy a new house, I could travel the world. After I had spent my first million dollars, I began to think what else I could do with this money. Wouldn’t it be really cool, if I could go around the world and help people, help missionaries and schools? Then I began to ponder about this new life, does money really fix problems?

Is money the real issue? I imagine, money could solve many current problems, but what kind of problems would come in the here after? God could provide all the money needed for every missionary and school in the world, so would I be helping or hindering the cause of God? There is a struggle that every organization has to go through, and would giving money away really fix the situation or could I possibly be making it worse? I could pay off the debt of my relatives, but would that “help” their lives. Has free money ever done more good than harm? All these questions began to swirl in my mind. How about my life? Would money change me? If so, for the better or worse? I was afraid of that answer, because a part of me feared that I would take a step toward the worse.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10

At the end of my dream, I became fearful. I ended up giving 90% of it away to charities. I began to diligently ask for guidance on who to give this money to, and I wanted to do God’s will. Money is such an important part of our lives, but when money becomes too much a center of our lives, we step into danger. They say the happiest people in the world, is when people have “enough”. The richest or the poorest are not the happiest. One is obsessed with it, and the other have been irresponsible. God in His wisdom, always gives us “enough”. To be content in all phases of our lives. To use our money for the “right” cause, and be faithful to what God has blessed us with. At the end of the day, it matters not how much money you made or have. All the riches in the universe will be in heaven, and we will live life with utmost joy. Money is the means to an end. We all want to get somewhere, and used with proper diligence can produce much good. Money is not the end or goal, we have much higher aspirations.

Connected to the Vine

-Pastor Danny