The Deceitfulness of Wealth

By Donna Martin

“….but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”  (Mark 4:19)

Last week we wrote about the first part of this verse.  The second part of the verse says, “… the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in….”  We live in a very “material world.”  So many couples get caught up in the race to make more money, have bigger houses, acquire designer clothes, buy their kids all the latest fashions and gadgets, etc.  In the race to get more, people sometimes lose their families.  Some husbands get so wrapped up in becoming successful that they neglect their families.  Some wives put pressure on their husbands to earn more money so they can spend more and acquire more things.   Because of the nagging, discontent, and constant struggle to attain more, a wedge is driven between the couple and love is “choked out”.  Many times this “deceitfulness of wealth” leads to divorce and despair.

Being wealthy is not a sin, and having money can be a real blessing.  However, when we become obsessed with having more and when our wealth becomes more important than our relationships, then something must change in order to have a “happy together” marriage. 

Learn to be content with what you have.  A contented wife fulfills her husband’s need to be a good provider.  A husband who makes time for his family fulfills his wife’s need for love and attention.  Time spent with your children is much more important than a closet full of toys and games that you never play with them.

You vowed to commit to your spouse “for richer or poorer”, so as Paul stated in Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.”

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