Gold Fever

It has caused wars, provoked people to murder, brought on uncontrollable greed, made people insanely lustful, and driven men to abandon family, home, and safety in quests to own it. It is a soft metal, yellow in color - called gold! Today gold is 'green' as in dollars! Last night on 60 Minutes (CBS) Vickie Mabrey reported on a story out of Iraq. In April, 2003, soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division of the US Army, were part of the invasion. Two weeks into the war, they had pushed into Baghdad. One day, in three separate locations, they discovered dozens of metal boxes each about the size of a picnic cooler. Opening the boxes they discovered they were packed with $100 bills, about $4 million in each box! At two locations, officers quickly took charge and placed the money in the custody of the US government. But in another location, something different happened. I'll quote one of the soldiers who was there.

"And then … there was a moment that everything turned … evil. The air was thick…The looks had changed. You could see that everyone was just out for themselves."
"What do you mean, evil?" asks Mabrey.
"Have you ever been in a room with that much money?" asks Novak, adding that another soldier actually talked about killing someone to keep the discovery quiet.
(see http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/25/60II/main690763.shtml )

What an illustration of the Bible's statement - "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:9-10, NIV)

One of the most enduring myths among human beings from every age is that wealth will satisfy the soul hunger that exists within us. It is true that money can do some amazing things - buying us pleasure, causing others to treat us with respect, and giving us power. If you watch The Apprentice, a reality TV program that features Donald Trump, a rich real estate developer from New York City, you will always see people fawning over him, treating him with deference, for no other reason except that he is rich! His opinions matter, not because he is smarter or because he's invented something that will bring better lives to millions, but because he has $Billions in assets.

I even find this happening among Christian pastors. The one who is privileged to lead a larger, wealthier congregation is much more likely to be invited to speak to the conference gathering than the one who leads a little country church off of the beaten path. Pastor John, who shows up at the gathering with his entourage of associates, is often shown much more deference than Pastor Joe who drives up up alone!

Most of us think that gold fever is something that only effects somebody else. We just have 'needs.' They are greedy. How deceitful our hearts are. We find ways to disguise our greed even from ourselves, thinking if we drive a certain kind of car, or live in a certain kind of house, or give a certain percentage of our income -- we have mastered that universal tendency towards acquisitiveness. But, what if we were tested like those soldiers in Iraq? What if, suddenly, we had access to large sums of money? What would happen to us? Would we change, seized by gold fever?

The Bible warns about trying to use our faith to build wealth, about thinking of God as a means to 'get more.' Instead, we are challenged to become content. Here's what the Word says, "men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth.... suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:5-6, NKJV)

The cure for gold fever is thankful, genuine gratitude that we offer as a sacrifice to the Lord, day by day.Here's a word from the Word to take with you today -
"Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness. " (Psalm 107:8-9, NKJV)