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COVETOUSNESS

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 9, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 15.

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COVETOUSNESS

By Lizzie Masters

LIZZIE MASTERS
When covetousness takes possession of the heart, money becomes the all-important subject for thought and meditation. It matters but little whether a person seeks money for the purpose of hoarding it, or for making useless expenditures; the question is, Does he love it? If so, whatever may be his object in acquiring it, he is disqualified for bringing souls to Christ; for how can he serve two masters at the same time? “For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye can not serve God and Mammon.” If, in serving Mammon, he can not serve Christ, how then can he labor successfully in saving the souls of those for whom “Christ died”? “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” He, then, that loves the world is destitute of the moving principle to a life of usefulness.
Little of real, noble, Christian liberality is seen among a large proportion of those professing the name of Christ. They have been intrusted with an important talent for usefulness; but for what is it appropriated? For what end is it employed? Is it used for the salvation of men and for the good of the world? These are objects but seldom considered. To give a reasonable proportion of their talents and earthly treasures to the cause of Christ, would, in their estimation, be throwing them away. To honor God with their substance in using it for the salvation of others, is a thought that has not so far entered their hearts. And yet this is one grand end contemplated by the Giver of all our temporal blessings. If we would follow the meek and lowly Jesus, let us beware of covetousness, “which is idolatry.” If we give it a place in our hearts, it will greatly hinder our usefulness, and will disqualify us for winning souls to Christ.
A young man, with much apparent humility, came to the Saviour and anxiously inquired what he must do to inherit eternal life. The Saviour loved him, and evidently gave him the best instruction: “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But . . . he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” O, the love of riches! What has it done! But the sad tale is told: he loved this world.
How shall we, who live in a day of merciful visitation, and in a time accepted, use our privileges and our talents which God in His mercy has intrusted to us? He that honoreth God with his substance shall gather fruit unto eternal life.