“But the love of money is the root of all evils. Knowing, therefore, that as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out, let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness; and let us teach, first of all, ourselves to walk in the commandments of the Lord.
Next, [teach] your wives [to walk] in the faith given to them, and in love and purity tenderly loving their own husbands in all truth, and loving all [others] equally in all chastity; and to train up their children in the knowledge and fear of God.
Teach the widows to be discreet as respects the faith of the Lord, praying continually for all, being far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false-witnessing, love of money, and every kind of evil; knowing that they are the altar of God, that He clearly perceives all things, and that nothing is hid from Him, neither reasonings, nor reflections, nor any one of the secret things of the heart.”
Polycarp of Smyrna (69-155) in “Chapter IV – Various exhortations” in The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus in the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Here Polycarp appears to echo Paul’s strong statement to Timothy on the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). Additionally, after spending last evening in the home of a dear friend, Dee Wolfe, who is a widow, it is noteworthy that widows are exhorted to a life a prayer and to avoid the love of money. It could be easy for a widow to think “all I need is money to secure my future” when in reality, all she needs is God.
As a disciple of John the Apostle and Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp is calling everyone to live out the truth and to avoid the trappings of accumulation because you can’t take it with you and you don’t want it to worm its way into your heart.
Also you may notice that widows are equated with “the altar of God” meaning that gifts to the needy in the community of faith are gifts to God. In those terms, Polycarp would say any kindness we show Dee, or any kindness any of us extend to any widows, would be considered by God as gifts to God Himself!
May the God from whom nothing is hid find our reasonings and reflections to be pure and free of the love of money, including the secret things of our hearts.