In the national health care debate insurance companies are often referred to as being “greedy”. More specifically during discussions on the topic, the above accusation is often followed by the phrase “Money is the root of all evil” and business only cares about money.
It got me thinking….
Is money really evil and where did that phrase originate? Here are some thoughts on the subject…. let’s take a philosophical stroll.
Is money the root of all evil?
I found that the saying is actually a common misquote from the New Testament: (Timothy 6:10) Evil is in the pursuit of the status that money provides, in either the form of greed to increase one’s stature, or jealousy when losing status to others. It’s been written that since money is merely a way to keep score, blaming money for evil is like blaming the scoreboard for the baseball game. So now that we know ATM’s are not
My next thought train arrives at the station of actions. Like any tool its use is determined by the wielder. A spoon can be used to feed a starving person or dig him an early grave, it is up to you.
Preaching from a positive perch, what is noble is what money can do: The projects it can create, the debt it can eliminate, freedom.
- Provides for survival
- Provides the opportunity for success
The key is obviously what you do with it.
The phrase “To those who have been given much, much is expected.” is also sometimes used to guilt those who are successful into giving, or as an excuse to forever wait until I too have been given much before giving back. My opinion is that this phrase doesn’t really apply either. We are all fortunate in different ways and can give unto others if we so choose. Grr… that darn personal choice and responsibility stuff keeps coming up…
So what do we do? Go for money, go for success? Give, take? Red pill, blue pill?
Remembering some perspectives highlighted by Jim Rohn
The key is how do we show the most of the good and the least of the bad? How do we work on and change things that are not in our best interest, in our thinking process, our plans for the future, our thoughts with others at the kitchen table or in enterprise?
Go for money, go for success, as much as you possibly can in a reasonable amount of time and with reasonable balance in your life. Work and earn, give and take, minimizing the detriment to others and maximizing the impact for good.
What is your view?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting article that has provoked thought. I'm not sure what I think quite yet.
I agree with the New Testament. It is the love of money that causes evil – in short, greed – and not money itself. By itself, money is harmless, it is just an object. Like with a gun or a knife. How you use them determines whether they are harmless or not.
I understand that money, as a modern civilization's invention for order, is merely a tool to be used. As with a knife, cutting meat or vegetables is necessary, but cutting up a family member is not even a need. The root of evil in the process of sinning is the twisted desire of man lack to operate in lack rather than abundance.
Money is the root of all evil ~Money is also the root of giving abundantly.
This is because money allows one to obtain. Evil wants to obtain power, there for it stems from money and more money and even more money for power, control, corruptions, evil deeds.
Thus money allows one to obtain. Love wants to obtain abundance to give abundantly. To find ways to have and give peace, serenity, comfort, healthy fruits, and loving deeds.
Money is the root, but it is a mans mind set that decides weather it will be used lovingly or for hatefully.