trap – Three Minute Bible

July 30, 2026July 28, 2026

1 Timothy 6:10b – The Money Chaser

Cartoon of a man climbing a thorn bush to get money. (Grok)

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Summary: Paul’s words describe a journey that none of us want to take.

Paul’s words in this passage paint an interesting picture.

“Some people, eager for money…”

Not all people, but some fall into the “trap” he refers to in verse nine. These people do not seem to have their eyes on Jesus. Instead, they give their love to the “root of … evil,” … money.

When they take their eyes away from the Shepherd, something horrible happens. Something they are not even aware of at the time.

These people “… have wandered from the faith.”

Now that is evocative. A child can wander from its parents and get lost. A chick can wander from its mother and get eaten. A sheep can wander from the shepherd and fall into a ditch or worse, find itself attacked by wolves.

People who have turned their eyes away from Jesus and focused on money, someday look up and realize that they are all alone. No shepherd, no other sheep, no help in sight if something bad happens.

That is when we arrive at the last part of Paul’s sentence. These people who have turned from Jesus to chase after money find themselves “pierced with many griefs.”

What does that look like?

The answer to this question is both personal and public. The personal part is where the “griefs” occur. The public part is where others see what is going on, but not directly. They see the outer person doing what people do, but they also sense that something is wrong. They see what the pain of grief is doing to the money chaser on the inside.

And isn’t that the way it always is?

We can sense something is wrong in another person, but since we can’t see it directly, we are not able to point to it and say, “Hey, that thing you are thinking — that is going to get you in trouble. Stop it.”

This is one of those situations where “the sins of others trail behind them” (1 Timothy 5:25). We see the money lover headed for trouble, but we don’t actually “see” the trouble until after they get there.

And that is when we, and they, see the grief.

Grief, you see, is another word for “sorrow,” and deep sorrows are hard to hide.

Application: Avoid the pain. Stick close to Jesus.

Food for Thought: Ecclesiastes 10:19 says, “… money is the answer for everything.” If we are not to be “eager for money,” yet we need money, what are we to do instead?

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July 28, 2026July 27, 2026

1 Timothy 6:9 – The Trap

Cartoon showing Rube Goldberg type "Trap" using money for bait. (Grok)

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Summary: Wanting wealth is not bad in itself, but there is great danger in putting our hope in material things.

The problem with the word “rich” is that it doesn’t mean the same to everyone. For some people it means having some jingle in your pocket after all the bills are paid. For others it means having more money than they will ever be able to spend… ever! If you look the word “rich” up in the dictionary,* all it says is “a large amount of money.” How much is that supposed to be?

So how does a person know when they finally arrive?

I suspect that is the “trap” that Paul is talking about. Since no one can agree on what it means to be rich, the goalposts keep moving.

It is not the only trap, however.

Jesus tells the story of a man who thought he had it made (Luke 12:15-21). Like most people of his day, he was a land owner who depended on his fields for food. One year, he had an “abundant harvest,” resulting in more food than he had room for. In his mind, he was rich beyond measure.

Looking at all the grain he had taken in, he thought, “Now I have it made! I can kick back and relax. I have nothing to worry about.” (My paraphrase.)

The God said, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”

That is the sound of ruin and destruction.

The problem wasn’t that the man had acquired wealth. Many people acquire wealth.† The problem was his reaction to having wealth. Instead of realizing that he was a steward of God’s gifts, he assumed that great wealth means great security.

And that is the trap that “plunge(s) people into ruin and destruction.” Don’t let it happen to you!

Application: Keep your eyes on Jesus, the source of true riches.

Food for Thought: What is the difference between someone who is rich and someone who wants to be rich?

*Online dictionary, July 23, 2026.

†See Matthew 25:14-30

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January 26, 2026January 27, 2026

1 Timothy 1:6 – Our Struggle

A picture of a balance scale. On once side is a bright, pure, heart, and on the other a dark object (Grok)

Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.

Summary: With this passage, Paul dives into the deep end of the pool and invites us to follow. As we consider his words, we pause and think about the nature of judging.

At this point in his letter, Paul is quite blunt. He begins to call out the difference between people who “teach false doctrines” (1 Tim 1:3) and those whose lives reflect a “sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5).