Where is Sex and Money?

by Olusegun Mokuolu
(Nigeria)

I will be sharing with you today a personal devotion. It is my prayer that it will help you dig deeper into the scriptures in Jesus Name. Amen

As a single man, several thoughts go through my mind everyday. I know we all have different thoughts going through out hearts but I’m talking about a particular line of thought. Am sure you already guessing what sort of thought it is I’m talking about. I already said that I’m single!
I think about whom to marry, when to marry, how to marry, challenges of marriage, the beauty of marriage etc. I have been drawn to study relevant scripture on the issue of marriage and whatever is connected with it. So it was recently that I had to meditate on a very familiar passage but often ignored in practice.

The passage is 1Corinthian 13:1-8 and Good News Bible renders it this way: “I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains---but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned ---but if I have no love, this does me no good. Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)”

Suddenly I screamed in my heart: “where is sex and money?” The Holy Spirit in this passage is showing us what it means to love. If am to truly love, these are the things I must possess. But I’m wondering where is sex and money. The modern world has so much connected love with sex and money that they become almost impossible to separate.

Most men think they need money to express love. Most women think they need sex to express love. This has ruined many marriages and relationships. But the good news is that we don’t need money or sex to express love. This is so relieving and comforting to my soul. Through Jesus Christ, we have all that we need to love. Degree of wealth does not matter. To love, I must be patient, kind, not keep record of wrongs, and not happy with evil. I must never give up but be happy with the truth. It’s only when I express these qualities to the person I love that I’m truly loving.

I pray the Lord fill me daily with these qualities. My soul longs for such qualities!