Gold in the Road

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” — 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)

When Antony was about thirty-five, he decided to go further out into the desert. On the way, Athanasius tells two stories about money.

First, Antony saw what looked like a large silver dish lying in the road. He stopped and thought about it. Who would carry a big silver dish through an empty desert? If someone had dropped it, surely they would have noticed and come back for it. He decided it was a trick meant to distract him from his purpose, and Athanasius says it vanished “like smoke from the face of fire.”

A little further on, he saw real gold scattered on the road. Athanasius says nobody knows whether it was put there by the devil or by God to test him. But it was definitely gold, and a lot of it.

What did Antony do? Athanasius says he “passed it by as though he were going over fire”. He didn’t even turn round. He ran to get past the place as fast as he could.

Why run? Because Antony knew his own heart. He knew that if he stopped to look, he might start thinking about what he could do with it, and his heart would be pulled back towards the things he had given up.

This is good advice for temptations of every kind. Sometimes the wisest thing isn’t to stand and argue with a temptation, but to get away from it quickly.

Money isn’t evil in itself. But Paul warns that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Antony had chosen treasure in heaven, and he guarded his heart to keep it there.

What is your “gold in the road”? It might be money, popularity, a new phone, a relationship, or just more stuff. None of these are wrong in themselves, but any of them can pull your heart away from God if you let them.

One thing to do this week: think about what you most want to own or have right now. This week, give something away: some money, a possession, or your time. Pray as you do it: “Lord, you are my treasure.”