In September, 1857, the USS Central America encountered a hurricane while en route from the California gold mines to New York City. The ship and its treasure were discovered a couple of years ago, off the coast of South Carolina. On board were 500 passengers and a cargo of three tons of gold nuggets, assay bars, and coins worth an estimated one billion dollars. For three days the passengers and crew bailed water, hoping to save the ship, but they were unsuccessful. Of the 500 hundred people on board, 425 perished. Survivors told of passengers jumping overboard fatally weighed down with gold. (The Tennessean, September 8, 1990).
Death came as a result of their greed. Many people believe, falsely, that money is evil and bad. But Paul says to Timothy "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10) It is the LOVE of money that causes people to be greedy and leads to many sorrows and even death.
For the believer there is a greater wealth to be pursued. It is life eternal. Which pursuit are you after, money or life? Don't let the love or pursuit of what is false threaten your life with unnecessary weight!
