TRUE WEALTH

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.         Prov 19:1 (ESV)

The contrast in this Proverb is between a poor person who is honest, and a devious (and perhaps rich) fool who distorts the truth.

In the light of the revelations about MPs' Expenses, we should have some sympathy for the many MPs who work tirelessly seeking to serve the public. However, as the nation has turned away from the one true, living God, we shouldn't be surprised that so many of our rulers and systems have become corrupt. 

1 Timothy 6:10 says: "...The love of money is a root of all evil."

Money is not evil in itself—it is the love of money that is a (rather than the) root of all evil. For example, money might be used in the service of the Lord in a variety of ways where only good would result. But this Scripture reminds us that it is the desire for money that leads to sin and shame.

However, though not all evil in the universe springs from the love of money, it is certainly one of the great sources of many varieties of evil. For instance, it leads to envy, strife, theft, dishonesty, selfishness, embezzlement, etc.

This current scandal is further evidence that the love of money and the ever-increasing materialism in society go hand in hand. We all need to examine our own hearts and actions and make them consistent with the Bible’s teaching. When the nation acknowledges its sin, and turns back to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness, then the Lord will be able to bless us with better rulers. Let us pray to that end.