Scripture offers a wealth (if I may use that term) of material about greed, about the love of money or possessions, and the disastrous consequences that kind of love can have. Of course, there is Judas who, in his greed, became an accessory to murder; Ananias and Sapphira who lied about the sale price of their property so they could keep some of the money for themselves; the rich young ruler who wanted to follow Jesus but could not bring himself to get rid of his possessions first. First Timothy says, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (6:10).

There is nothing inherently wrong with money, nor is there anything wrong with having some. Some of the greatest men of the Bible were also some of the richest: Abraham, David, Solomon. To be sure, they had their faults, but the love…