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                    ||                       How beautiful on the mountains
                    ||                       are the feet of those ... who
                    ||                       proclaim salvation, who say to
                                             Zion, "Your God reigns!"
          Pastor RALPH & GENE ANN WOOD                  --Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
          E-mail:  randg.wood@encode.com
          FRESH MANNA, 10/02/1998 ........................ 1 TIMOTHY 6:9-10
          {6:9} But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation
          and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men
          in destruction and perdition. {6:10} For the love of money is a
          root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been
          led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through
          with many sorrows.   --1 TIMOTHY 6:9-10 (ASV)
             "Money is the root of all wealth"!  Thus proclaimed a tagline,
          a cute quip added to a message posted in a discussion conference
          on our computer bulletin board service, a couple of months ago.
          Obviously a play on words, in disrespectful parody of our text.
             But when I saw the tagline, at first glance I thought it read,
          "-Monday- is the root of all wealth".  Hmm.  A true thought, you
          know, as far as it goes.  If you consider it: for most people in
          Christian cultures, Sunday, the actual first day of the week, is
          a day of rest, and, for Christians, of worship as well.  Hence,
          for many, Monday is in effect the first day of work in the week.
          And, if you are "minded to be rich" in this world's goods, it
          would be well to get your work week off to a -good- start.  Thus,
          "Monday -is- the root of all wealth"!  This is borne out in the
          book of PROVERBS, where  sluggards and lazy persons are promised
          failure and poverty; those who are diligent, wealth and success.
             But what sort of wealth is worth going after with such ardent
          desire, with such great "Monday" effort, with such a love?  Well,
          Paul shows us here, that love of this world's riches of goods and
          possessions, does not bring contentment, but innumerable griefs.
          The book of PROVERBS shows the pursuit of wisdom-- listening to
          the word of God, knowing His will and doing it-- as alone worthy
          of all our best effort.  And in 1 TIMOTHY 6:6, Paul affirms that
          "godliness with contentment is great gain" (ASV).  Not to forget
          that Jesus said there is such a thing as "true" riches, greater
          than "unrighteous mammon" [see LUKE 16:11], "treasure in heaven"
          more important than earthly possessions [see MATTHEW 6:19-21];
          and, "Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all
          these things shall be added unto you" [MATTHEW 6:33 (ASV)].
             So, when you wake up, Monday morning, ready to serve Jesus,
          remember this maxim, "Monday is the root of all wealth"; and go
          ardently, zealously after true riches, both for yourself and for
          others!  And, may God bless all your efforts abundantly!   --RLW
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