And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers. Acts 16:19
God must surely have a particularly hot place in hell reserved for faith healers and fortune tellers, people who prey mercilessly on unfortunate folks seeking help for their physical ailments and for their anxieties. Although some of these folks may be driven by demonic powers, most of them are driven by greed and larceny. The only thing they care about is making a profit, and they don’t care who they harm along the way. Christians avoid these people as dangerous as well as evil. The ones that Paul and Silas encountered in Philippi were typical of the lot. They were owners of a slave who was possessed by a demon that enabled her to perform fortune telling. Her owners were more interested in the money from her services than they were in her welfare. When she was delivered of the demon, she was of no further use to them. They didn’t care that she was now free of her terrible bondage. In her gratitude, the woman was very likely responsive to the Gospel preached by the missionaries, and probably was saved. But that was of no concern to her owners. No, she was now useless to their business. That is the uncaring attitude of all who put profit before spiritual welfare.
Strangers are often surprised that we take no collection at our Gospel meetings. Or that we do not charge attendance at our Sunday School picnics and children’s meetings. For many religious organizations, the collection plate is a regular part of every service, and admission to events is a solid fundraising tool. Where is their real interest, in souls or dollars? It is comforting to know that such a mercenary approach is far removed from any of the activities associated with our Assemblies. May it ever be so. The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and the further away we stay from financial considerations in our efforts, the safer we will be.
Those men lost the hope of their gains because of the work of God in their midst. The only way that that will happen is if the hope of their gains is in something that is wrong. A man who had been a bootlegger lost the hope of his gains in that business when God came in and saved his soul. And he rejoiced at that. Many others who have been saved have found themselves unable with a clear conscience to continue in their previous employment. But they have not been the losers! God has given them far more than they might have lost. And they have entered into a more sure hope of a far greater gain in eternal rewards.
The world’s business does not always mix well with God’s salvation. But the salvation always pays a much higher return on investment. -Jim MacIntosh