"You cannot give yourself to God and money" (Mt 6:24). Although few admit it, money is God's greatest competition, that thing which we are most tempted to put ahead of God. "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tm 6:10). Money is the means to pleasure and a life of self-satisfaction. Money facilitates worship of self. Consequently, many young rich men and women continue to walk sadly away from Jesus (Mk 10:22). Like Judas, many commonly sell Jesus for a few pieces of silver (Mt 26:15) or even for the petty pleasures that money can buy. For example, Esau sold out for just a bowl of red soup (Gn 25:30-34). "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mk 10:23) It all comes down to God or money, lifestyle, and self. We must consider "riches nothing in comparison" with God (Wis 7:8) and consider God's word "more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces" (Ps 119:72). We must "put aside everything to follow" Jesus (Mk 10:28). |