Has someone ever come up to you at church, your office, or perhaps even on the street, asking something like, “How would you like to make a little extra money?”

I would warn you, however, to avoid “get-rich-quick” schemes that promise a huge financial windfall for little effort. I say this from experience, having seen many people get into serious trouble in my years in ministry. Christians can be exceptionally trusting at times. Often too trusting.

Christians should be discerning. Many of these schemes, if not illegal, appeal to our covetousness. We’re told we don’t have enough, that we need a little more, that we can have the life of luxury we always wanted.

It’s not that God hates wealth. It’s the continual desire for more that steals us away from His will for our lives. 1 Timothy 6:9 says, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

God has established an ethic of hard, honest work rewarded by a fair wage. Work is not just a means to an end, it’s a calling, an integral part of our journey of faith.

So next time you’re approached with a get-rich-quick idea, you may want to approach it with a wary eye. It could be a dangerous trap.