Money can put a strangle-hold on the heart of any believer unless they understand that it does not belong to them.  God gives as He chooses; we are only trustees and not owners of God’s gifts.  It is not wrong to have money – what is wrong is for it to become an idol, assuming that the more we worship it, the more it will protect us and our futures.  Paul had previously told Timothy to command wealthy people not to place their future security in their money or possessions (1 Timothy 6:17).  

Now the Apostle instructs Timothy to insist that those who had possessions should fulfil their spiritual responsibility by investing it for the sake of God’s kingdom (Acts 4:32-35).  Jesus makes the same point dramatically in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).  Hoarding and refusal to share is an insult to the God who gives generously (James 1:5).
 
Yes, those with money may be able to do more for the Lord – good!  Let them be urged to do so (2 Corinthians 9:6-9).  When there is a need, give without waiting (Proverbs 3:27-28).  Every time we use or share what God has given to us for His glory, we demonstrate that our hope is truly in His eternal life and not in the power and pleasure we can gain from our possessions.  Indeed, without sharing and giving, we condemn ourselves to live a sub-standard spiritual life.
 
Such instructions can be hard to give and even harder to receive.  But they can also become manipulative tools in the hands of unscrupulous spiritual leaders whose greed spurs them to manipulate their congregations, promising spiritual blessings if they give to the church.  That is a wicked distortion of the truth in these verses.  But we also twist the truth if we allow the wealthy to assume that their possessions belong to them.  So pray for your leaders that they will rightly and wisely teach these truths from God’s Word: and also that those with resources will find joy in growing spiritually as they invest God’s gifts.