1 Timothy 6:17

1 Timothy 6:17

Thoughts from Kimber Gilbert

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Slide

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

1 Timothy 6:17

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Slide

Paul writes Timothy on how to teach Christians about guarding against false doctrines. Money is mentioned often in scripture, and it usually comes with a warning. We’ve heard that, ‘money is the root of all evil’ and ‘it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’. The false doctrine is the message that money is a means of security and wealth, but Paul is urging us to consider a different kind of riches.

Slide

This verse is cleverly written because of the wording. It beings with “as for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches…”. We all think that security means having money, but scripture states not to set our hopes in the uncertainty of what we consider security.

Slide

He’s saying that money is not security, because if He is not first, money means nothing in the end, because we leave this earth with nothing. He finishes the scripture with, “but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” I love that the adverb ‘richly’ is used, because the term is used without monetary value to help change our perception of what it means to be rich. Without him, all the money in the world means nothing.

Slide

We all have different ideas of what being rich means, but a rich person in our minds is likely someone who has more money than we do. Very few ‘rich’ people consider themselves rich. Most Americans would deem the top 5 percent of income as rich, but that is richness on a whole different level. Brian preached a sermon a number of months ago speaking on this stating that most of us are rich without realizing it. If we have a home over our heads, access to food, and a vehicle, we are rich.

Be Still - MIR
Slide

I grew up in a trailer park.  My father was an ex-convict trying to make ends meet as a brand-new Christian, and money was tight.  My mom was a stay-at-home parent, and no one wanted to hire an ex-convict, so he began a small painting business.  We were what most Americans would consider poor.  My parents struggled to put food on the table for the first few years of their marriage, but eventually we were able to move into a house. 

Slide

My parents carried debt, and I remember thinking that my friends at school were all rich. They had the ‘good snacks’ at school. They went on vacations. They got to buy new clothes. When I attended university, I was the first person on either side of my family to ever receive a bachelor's degree, and it opened up many doors for me job/income wise.

Slide

One of those jobs led me to meet my now husband who is in the military. I feel that I live full of gratitude because I never imagined living in a nice house with a car that doesn’t break down every other day, and I can even order a beverage with meals at restaurants! Our lifestyle is what I used to consider very rich when I was younger. But it’s funny how I still don’t consider myself rich. We are always looking at who has more.

Slide

I think that what Paul is trying to communicate through this scripture is that without God, we are nothing without Him. We should never look down on someone who has less than we do, because sometimes, they are richer than we are. A person who loves the Lord and relies on Him for everything is the rich person. I grew up around a homeless shelter, and some of them were the richest people I’ve ever met.

Slide

This scripture is such a great reminder to consider my heart today. I am rich in Him, and Him alone. Money doesn’t satisfy my soul. Money doesn’t leave this earth with me. Having a car that doesn’t break down doesn’t bring me closer to Jesus unless I am thanking him for that provision. Food on the table doesn't bring me closer unless I realize that He is the one who could provide my next meal if I didn’t know where it would come from. There’s a richness in gratitude for the things we have, knowing that what we have doesn’t define who we are.

Be Still - EIP
Slide

Dear God, please change my view on what it means to be rich. Strip my views down regarding monetary value so that I can understand your definition of richness. Thank you for the roof over my head, and for food in my fridge. I ask that you would give me a heart for those who have less than me, and show me how I can use my riches for your glory. Help me to rely on you in the little things in my life so that I put my trust in you rather than the comfort and security around me.

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As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  

1 Timothy 6:17

Behind the Scenes

Paul writes Timothy on how to teach Christians about guarding against false doctrines.  Money is mentioned often in scripture, and it usually comes with a warning. We’ve heard that, ‘money is the root of all evil’ and ‘it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’. The false doctrine is the message that money is a means of security and wealth, but Paul is urging us to consider a different kind of riches. 

This verse is cleverly written because of the wording.  It beings with “as for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches…”.  We all think that security means having money, but scripture states not to set our hopes in the uncertainty of what we consider security.  

He’s saying that money is not security, because if He is not first, money means nothing in the end, because we leave this earth with nothing.  He finishes the scripture with, “but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”  I love that the adverb ‘richly’ is used, because the term is used without monetary value to help change our perception of what it means to be rich.  Without him, all the money in the world means nothing.  

We all have different ideas of what being rich means, but a rich person in our minds is likely someone who has more money than we do.  Very few ‘rich’ people consider themselves rich.  Most Americans would deem the top 5 percent of income as rich, but that is richness on a whole different level.  Brian preached a sermon a number of months ago speaking on this stating that most of us are rich without realizing it.  If we have a home over our heads, access to food, and a vehicle, we are rich.  

Make It Real

I grew up in a trailer park.  My father was an ex-convict trying to make ends meet as a brand-new Christian, and money was tight.  My mom was a stay-at-home parent, and no one wanted to hire an ex-convict, so he began a small painting business.  We were what most Americans would consider poor.  My parents struggled to put food on the table for the first few years of their marriage, but eventually we were able to move into a house.   

My parents carried debt, and I remember thinking that my friends at school were all rich.  They had the ‘good snacks’ at school.  They went on vacations.  They got to buy new clothes.  When I attended university, I was the first person on either side of my family to ever receive a bachelor’s degree, and it opened up many doors for me job/income wise.   

One of those jobs led me to meet my now husband who is in the military. I feel that I live full of gratitude because I never imagined living in a nice house with a car that doesn’t break down every other day, and I can even order a beverage with meals at restaurants!  Our lifestyle is what I used to consider very rich when I was younger.  But it’s funny how I still don’t consider myself rich.  We are always looking at who has more.   

I think that what Paul is trying to communicate through this scripture is that without God, we are nothing without Him. We should never look down on someone who has less than we do, because sometimes, they are richer than we are. A person who loves the Lord and relies on Him for everything is the rich person.  I grew up around a homeless shelter, and some of them were the richest people I’ve ever met.   

This scripture is such a great reminder to consider my heart today. I am rich in Him, and Him alone.  Money doesn’t satisfy my soul.  Money doesn’t leave this earth with me.  Having a car that doesn’t break down doesn’t bring me closer to Jesus unless I am thanking him for that provision.  Food on the table doesn’t bring me closer unless I realize that He is the one who could provide my next meal if I didn’t know where it would come from.  There’s a richness in gratitude for the things we have, knowing that what we have doesn’t define who we are.   

Ali Bair

Ali Bair

ACF Social Media Assistant

End in Prayer

Dear God, please change my view on what it means to be rich.  Strip my views down regarding monetary value so that I can understand your definition of richness.  Thank you for the roof over my head, and for food in my fridge.  I ask that you would give me a heart for those who have less than me, and show me how I can use my riches for your glory.  Help me to rely on you in the little things in my life so that I put my trust in you rather than the comfort and security around me. 

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