I was happily reading along on a blog (don’t ask me where, because I didn’t bookmark it) when I came across this awful misquote “money is the root of all evil,” and I had to keep myself from yelling at the computer screen.

The actual quote is “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” from 1 Timothy 6:10.

I think this quote, along with the mindset that comes with it, is where lots of people get hung up with regards to their own finances. I’ve heard artists and other creatives misquote this verse as an excuse for why they’re broke, and a justification for why they hate “sell-outs.”

It’s a huge stuck based around the cognitive dissonance of that misquote and the capitalist, consumer-driven, money-centric society us westerners are brought up in.

The thought process may go something like this….

Money is evil. Therefore I must hate money. And I must hate those with money. Because Money is Evil.

But I need money to buy things I need. And I want other stuff that costs money. I wish I had as much money as (insert “rich” person here). If I did, everything would be awesome.

But money is evil… I can’t want money because then I’ll be evil.

*head explodes*

That’s more than enough to cause some major stuckness, and in some cases neuroses, when it comes to handling and managing your finances. In business, this can shut you down.

So let’s dispell the myth that money is evil.

Money is by nature neutral.

It’s a thing we invented to make concrete the abstract concept of value, as a means of exchange.

It can be used for good or all kinds of evil, but that takes a person.

A person can be corrupted by the love of money and the wrong-headed focus on loving money over loving people. That’s where things and people get screwed up. Even people who are broke can fall into this trap and end up seething with jealousy, feeling like a victim and harboring hate towards those who have what they don’t.

But money is not the root of all evil. Not by a long shot.

But the love of money heaps on all kinds of trouble.

What all this means for me: My pursuit of profit in my business is perfectly OK. I’m not a bad person just because I charge for my work.

And I don’t begrudge anyone else their pursuit of a profitable business.

The fact is, you can’t tell anything about me or anyone else just by how much money they have, except that they have money. But you can get a pretty good idea of what kind of person someone is if you look at what she does and how she uses her resources.

The only thing I can say for sure about money is:

Money is an amplifier.

If you’re an asshole when you’re broke, chances are you’ll be an even bigger asshole when you’re rolling in it. And the way you spend your money will reflect that.

But if you’re loving, generous and kind, more money will give you the resources to be just that on a bigger scale.

So remember the next time someone slings “money is the root of all evil” at you, that it’s really the love of money. First love others and yourself. Money’s just a thing for you to use how you see fit.

What do you think? Leave a comment below!

Photo Credit: Max Romersa – http://www.sxc.hu/profile/mompes