Is It Wrong to Desire to Be Rich?
This article was originally written in April 2005.
God does address this subject in scripture. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1Timothy 6:9)
Notice, it is not necessarily wrong to be rich. It’s wrong to “will” (desire) to be rich.
So what is the proper attitude toward being rich?
We shouldn’t desire to be rich. If we are rich, we should not be “high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” (1Timothy 6:17)
Why then should we seek to get a good return on our money? Here’s why.
Regardless of how much we’ve been given, God expects us to manage it well. (Read Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 16:11).
The proverb below conveys the right attitude. …Give me neither poverty nor riches…Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. (Proverbs 30:8,9)