It looked like Buddy was running for his life. Alone in his cage, our stout, honey-colored hamster raced on his wheel as fast as his stubby legs would take him. Poor guy! That flimsy wheel shook as Buddy wore himself out, running nowhere fast.
In today’s reading, Paul urged pastor Timothy to confront the false teachings that tempted his young church to run nowhere fast. Paul warned him specifically about those who “imagine that godliness is a way to material gain” (1Timothy 6:5). Timothy must reject the lie that promised financial blessing in exchange for faithfulness. Pursuing godliness—centering our lives on Jesus’s words and ways—should not be used to gain wealth. The Christian life is not about manipulating God for a stronger financial portfolio.
Here’s what this lie still offers us today: a hamster wheel. It tells us to hop on and run for our lives. On the wheel, we’re motivated by greed and powered by desperation. We compare and we judge. We envy and we covet. We don’t just want what others have; we want more. If we attempt to be obedient, we harbor resentment and expect payback. We may not consciously say it, but in our hearts we insist, “I work hard and play by the rules. I go to church. Heck, I even tithe. God owes me.”
But here’s the truth: God cannot be bought. Even if we do experience financial success, it will never be enough. “The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Money never delivers the deep contentment we crave. We keep running, always on the chase for more, yet never truly satisfied.
Why do our hearts wrestle with money? Having money in the bank is not the problem. But letting money have its way in my heart is. Loving and worshiping our accumulation of stuff, status, and security reveals our desire to seize control, assert independence, and reject God’s supremacy by declaring our own. Back on the hamster wheel we go, striving to be god of a flimsy kingdom of our own making.
True gain is found when we reject these lies. Contentment grows as we humbly center our lives on Jesus Christ because He has already secured our eternal identity and status. He is enough. We can be motivated by gratitude instead of greed, powered by delight instead of desperation. Resisting that shaky wheel is so much easier said than done. Our pride and insecurity tell us to run for our lives, to accumulate all we can. Can we admit that we’ll be tempted to hop back on again? We will. And, when we do, let’s lovingly remind each other that we can jump right off because Christ always catches us. To rest in Him, friends, is our greatest gain (1Timothy 6:6).
I find myself on the “hamster wheel” of life more often then I care to admit. Grateful for the devotional reminder Patti Sauls.
PATTI SAULS, you once again hit the nail on the head! Thank you for this powerful message. I am reminded of the Pac Man character in the OLD video game and the way he hurries around the maze gobbling up everything in his path … until he runs into ‘the bad guy’ and loses it all. Prayers for the requests mentioned and unspoken.
Yes, I needed this reminder.
I loved this devotional today ( saved to my files) as this is an area I have struggled with over the years after losing much of what I had (marriage, house, many material things)—what I thought kept me safe and secure. I was so misguided! God brought me close to Him through the struggle and restored my faith and trust in Him which is more valuable than the possessions I lost. I still can tend to want to hold too tightly to money so need to always keep in the word with scriptures like these to remind myself that my true treasure is in heaven with Jesus.
Have a wonderful Wednesday! Praying for your friend Kaitlyn, and thankful God met your needs Stephanie B. Prayers for all requests ❤️
This was timely for me as well!Repenting with you! He hears and He forgives!
I have been so incredibly blessed. I see answered prayers all around me. I am an answered prayer. God has taken this single mom working three jobs and given me a career , an amazing husband who loves me and everything I’ve ever asked for. (Other than the husband , it was all just stuff). We are comfortable. We both work in “serving” professions. He is a nurse, I am a charter school superintendent (that is able to lease 2 buildings from our church, thereby blessing them also). I am praying now that God uses us to bless others. Not sure if that is having my mother in law come live with us, or finding a single mom needing help. Just praying.
Matthew 6:19-21 always slays me. I have more years behind me than ahead of me. “Stuff” has certainly accumulated and now it is time to purge so that the stuff doesn’t overwhelm our daughters when we pass. I so desire to have more “stuff” stored in heaven than the amount of stuff I have here on this earth. As our daughters remind me as I’m sorting through things, “Priorities, woman! Priorities!”
It’s amazing the peace that we can feel when we put into practice being content with what God has blessed us with.