The Root of Evil

The Bible says that “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10); let’s look at this verse very closely, and consider the implications of it.

When I see the word “root” I often think of plants, and how beautiful some have become. A flower, for instance is a desirable plant, and we often like to display it in our homes and gardens, but it seems that no one likes to display the roots! The roots are ugly, they are undesirable, while the tree or plant does not at all resemble the root. Every plant has a base, and we call that base the “root”. The root remains though underground, and out of sight, while the product of the root is visible, and often desirable; though we do not see the root, we know that it exists, and is crucial to the health of the flower or plant. So it is with sin, as the root cause is often hidden deep in the soil of the heart, the product may look good, and even desirable to the human eye; the enticement then is not the root, but the plant! Every sin has a root, and the Bible says that the root of evil has to do with the “love of money”, though we cannot always see the connection, it is there, and the root nourishes the sin. Just as the root sustains and nourishes the plant (flower), so does the love of money nourish the sin. We must sink our roots deeply beneath the soil of love--specifically, God’s love, so that the flower will be a blessing to others, and the root remain under the soil of true love apart from the love of money.