In 2010, antique and art dealer Forrest Fenn hid a small bronze box somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. The box was claimed to have been made in the 12th century, but Fenn had placed over $1 million in gold coins and nuggets, jade, emeralds and art objects in the 10-inch square chest. Then he wrote a book that included clues to the location of the treasure and maintained a web site for searchers and interested people. In the intervening years, Fenn estimates that about 350,000 people have hunted seriously for the fortune, with some even quitting jobs and devoting all their time to the quest.

While the box remained hidden, accusations of fraud were leveled against Fenn. It seemed that the prospect of a fortune to be found brought out the worst in some. Many legal violations occurred over the years as fortune hunters trampled and dug up private property, damaged historic monuments, ruined family relationships and required professional rescue from impossibly dangerous predicaments. At least five people died scrabbling for loot in the wilderness stretching from Wyoming to New Mexico. And all but one have had their covetous dreams dashed—because the box was found several days ago by a man who wished to remain anonymous. Only God will ever know how many lives and savings and families were destroyed by the maniacal quest for treasure.

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10 NIV).

For years, we’ve listened to casino operators relabel gambling as “gaming.” The word, “gambling,” sounds so—crass and greedy and seems associated with crime. On the other hand, “gaming” sounds so—well, fun and happy and social! Step into a casino, look around at the customers and count the smiles you see. To them, it’s not fun, it’s serious business. It’s serious business to the operators, too. It was serious business to the fortune hunters who scoured at least four states in the fantasy of free riches. And every other part of life was shelved while greed was given free rein.

God knows we need food, clothing, shelter, tools and so on. He gave us the inborn drives we have to seek and enjoy beauty and to prepare for our future. He also knows the destructive attraction of money as the object of our trust and He repeatedly warns us to use money wisely and never to be used by it. Paradoxically, those who work hard and seek to provide for themselves and their families often wind up with more material goods than they need. Meanwhile, those who want riches only to live luxuriously usually fail miserably through their greed and learn to resent those who work. It’s not money, but the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil. Nobody should be fooled into thinking that the discovery of Fenn’s Treasure will end corrosive greed. Those who will not trust God for His wisdom will turn their efforts to some other get-rich-easy scheme. And they will lose years, family, future, their very lives by trying desperately to seize what they have not earned. Greed can be replaced by faith, or it can end in death.