Published 9/13/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
In order to get you to do things, we have to motivate you properly. And what motivates you the most (much of the time) is money.
To get you to read during the summer we pay you a dollar or two a book (depending on how thick it is).
During the school year, whenever you get an A in a class, we give you three dollars!
And then, of course, you don’t get your weekly allowance until you do your chores.
Plus, you always try to do extra work for more money. If the cars need washing and vacuuming, you negotiate with us on how much you should get if you do the work. Ditto with raking leaves, sweeping, dusting, and so on.
It’s not that you are an absolute greed freak; it’s just, well, you like to have money to spend. And what do you spend it on? Posters, music, candy, clothes, sometimes presents for others. At least three or four times a week you can be found in your room counting your money.
Questions to Think On
• Do you think it would be unusual for a family or a kid to act this way?
• Would you say a kid like this is greedy, or just learning to appreciate money?
• We know that money isn’t evil, but the “love of money” is. Has loving a possession ever caused you to tune out other things that are important in life?
• Mom and Dad: How tempting is it for you to put possessions above other priorities in life? How do you fight that temptation?
What Does God Have to Say?
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
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 grief’s.
(c)