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Success Lies—Wealth Equals Success

May 8, 2006

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Dear Friends

A considerable portion of the Success Industry centers around one lie that wealth equals success. If you want to be happy and successful, you need to have money..and lots of it. Not only is this concept not Biblical, it is not supported by the facts.

Before we jump into exposing the lie, however, let’s get a proper perspective on money. It is often misquoted that “money is the root of all evil.” The full quote is “the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.” Perhaps a better translation more true to the original is “the love of money is the root of all KINDS of evil.” Money can be used for bad or good. There will be rich men in the Kingdom as well as poor. It is not money or wealth in themselves that are bad, it is our attitude toward them that can be bad.

God tells us clearly what our attitude toward money and wealth should be. “Religion, of course, does bring large profits, but only to those who are content with what they have. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it; but as long as we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. People who long to be rich are a prey to trial; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and harmful ambitions which plunge people into ruin and destruction . . . Instruct those who are rich in this world’s goods that they should not be proud and should set their hopes not on money, which is untrustworthy, but on God who gives us richly all that we need for our happiness. They are to do good and be rich in good works, generous in giving and always ready to share, this is the way they can amass a good capital sum for the future if they want to possess the only life that is real.” (1 Tim. 6:6-9, 17-19 NJB)

The Biblical perspective is also backed up by scientific and historical data. According to a survey done by the UK’s New Scientist magazine, the happiest people in the world live in Nigeria. Nigeria’s per capita income is $1,120. Compare this to the United States which was the sixteenth happiest country in the world with a per capita income of $40,100. If money buys happiness, shouldn’t the US be 40 times happier than Nigeria as we have forty times more money?

Here are some quotes from some of the richest men in modern history.

The obvious truth is exactly what you have heard your whole life—money can’t buy happiness. Be content with what you have. Spend your time and energy doing what God says and not pursuing money and material possessions. It will not only work better for you in this life, but also in the one to come.

Real success is doing God’s will and being content. You can be successful right now regardless of your stock portfolio or the size of your bank account.

Have a great week,

P.S. Many requests have been made to print the TFTW in book form. Since this has been a community effort, I would like to make this book a community effort as well. If there is any particular TFTW that has touched you or that you would like to write a preface for, please contact Kyle Tucker. We will include some of these comments in the book, Lord willing.

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