Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
“Let us, therefore, be of those who give thanks, of those who have served God, and not of the ungodly who are judged…And let not even that trouble your mind, that we see the unjust prosperous and the servants of God in misery.
Let us have faith, my brethren and sisters. We are making trial of the living God, and contending in the present life that we may be crowned in the life to come. For none of the just receiveth a speedy reward, but waiteth for it.
For if God gave speedily the reward of the righteous, we should forthwith practice gain and not godliness; for we should seem to be righteous, not on account of what is pious, but on account of what is profitable. And on this account hath the Divine judgment overtaken a spirit that is not righteous, and hath burdened it with chains.
Now to the only God, the invisible, the father of truth, who hath sent unto us the Saviour and leader of immortality, through whom he hath made known unto us the truth and the heavenly life, to him be the glory, world without end. Amen.”
Clement of Rome (c. 90-100) in 2 Clement 18:1; 20:1-5 (Charles H. Hoole translation, 1885).
The biblical idea of “the love of money” relates to the desire for gain and the belief that money solves problems. This thinking prevails today in most of the world.
According to this mindset, everyone needs to get money to survive. This causes people to live ungodly and unjust lives in service to mammon rather than God.
Those are strong words but such living is “ungodly” as it is the opposite of God’s way and “unjust” because it causes us to hoard fearfully rather than share generously.
Clement, the bishop of Rome near the end of the first century, urged the church in Rome to live with gratitude toward God and in service toward others.
He urged them to focus on godliness and piety rather than gain or profit. He told them that God will reward the righteous but they likely will have to wait for it to come.
In short, Clement echoes the author of Hebrews calling hearers to be content with what they have and to contend in the present anticipating a crown in the life to come.
So to live with gratitude helps us grow in the area of contentment. Our living shows the world that we have everything we need in God who will never abandon us. Hallelujah!