WK$4$ Collaboration: Devotional

Please read the following scriptures.

I Timothy $6$:$10$

The love of money has led to the public downfall of many in the financial industry. Looking at some recent headlines, we could get a list of names of people in the finance industry who have been lured into unethical behavior in their pursuit of monetary gain. These stories always leave a wide path of destruction. For example, the Bernie Madoff financial scandal resulted in a prison sentence for the remainder of his life and the suicide of his son. That would be an example of a grief suffered for the love of money. Our hope is Bernie Madoff, in hindsight, might say that money was not worth his adoration. There were higher pursuits.

In this passage from I Timothy, Paul warns of the possibility of wandering from the faith if money is taken out of its rightful perspective in one$$s life. The love of money remains a great temptation to believers with great consequences. Those planning a career in business are naturally pursuing monetary gain as a measurement of success. While not discounting that money is important, Paul suggests pursuing other things of God like righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness will not bring the grief associated with loving money. These things of God are not in opposition to money, but to the love of money. If our hearts are full of the things of God, we can keep our perspective on money in proper balance. It is not the money but our attitude towards it that brings us great grief.

A career in finance will bring about a unique challenge to those attempting to live out this Scripture. The financial professional works in a world centered on the money. Money will be a primary topic of our professional conversations. Creating wealth for shareholders will even be a central goal. As we work to meet financial goals for our businesses, on a personal level we must keep our attitude pure towards money and balanced with the other pursuits of God.

Present your thoughts about the relevance of this devotional to our anticipated learning this week in the discussion forum.