The love of money is the root of all evil.

Ever heard it said that way? Is it true? Let us seek truth.

1 Timothy 6:10 English Standard Version (ESV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

First off the Word says a root not the root. There are many roots to evil.

Then there is the issue of blaming love of money for all evil. It is not but does however have many offshoots just like any root system and has many attached evils.

This seems like such a minor misquote why should it matter?

Genesis 3:1 English Standard Version (ESV) Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘Youshall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Satan used a minor misquote to test Eve’s knowledge of what God said in truth. While it may seem minor this one case created the fall of mankind. That was no minor accomplishment.

Is it possible that if we buy into the lie that love of money is the root of all evil, that we might examine our own behaviors and accept them because love of money wasn’t involved? Never mind that it does not sway you, what about a lost individual that is just beginning to feel the need for Jesus. How it might influence that person is going to have more dire consequences. Those little errors might keep them from God for a number of years.

The regret that led to my confession of condition was in the fact that I did not stay in God’s Word. My life could have been so much different for more than ten years. We will never know because I walked away for God back then. Do we really want to contribute to another’s time away from our loving God?

Know the Word accurately.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 English Standard Version (ESV)

³ If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, ⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Picking up along the lines established recently parents are the primary source of early education. What parents decide to teach their children is a parental right and I shall not interfere. When it comes to the standards of teaching godliness we must follow the teachings of Jesus. To this end it has to be noted how Jesus loved the children and warned elders about their responsibilities in raising them to know Him.

Matthew 19:14 English Standard Version (ESV) but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Babes in Christ may be old by worldly standards yet they must be educated in the same manner. It is necessary to instill in them the virtues of godliness. Teach love, mercy, grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to speak truth and enact God’s will in their lives.

Those who come to Christ of a certain age need no lessons on the depravity of man. They escaped the depravity. Children who have not come to know Jesus and the great love that God offers should not be taught about the depravity of man least they test those lessons for themselves.

A mind that is not deprived of the truth is less likely to engage in depraved behavior. Less likely is no guarantee that temptations might get the better of them. We are human after all. While we would like to protect our “babes” in Christ, there has to come a time when we all have to stand or fall along the paths we walk.