Though few of us truly heed them, the bible is full of warning about lusting after wealth and possessions:   Luk 12:15  And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”   Ecc 5:10  He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.  Ecc 5:11  When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?  Ecc 5:12  Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.    Mat 6:24  “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.     1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which...

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. I've always loved this verse. Christians are constantly emphasizing the latter part about being peaceful and gentle (which is terrific,) but equally necessary is the ability to understand and comprehend the schemes of the wicked, lest you fall into their traps.  To achieve this, as awful as it may sound, you need to be able to think like the sociopaths of the world. You need to be able to put yourself in the shoes of someone with no remorse or compassion and ponder questions like: 'how would I rob someone if I were a criminal?' Or 'how would I deceive someone to steal his money?'. As an example, I've heard people express amazement when someone like a pastor, scout leader, counselor, or school teacher turns out to be a pedophile. "He seemed like such a nice guy, who would've ever thought he'd be capable of something like this?...