The quote is wrong. It should read "The love of money is the root of all evil."

It's not having money that is the problem, but when money becomes the most important thing in your life, you are in trouble. When having money is more important than family, friends, love, purpose or belief, things get sad.

There was a movie I liked as a kid, :"The Happiest Millionaire" about a man who had it all, and was happy because he loved and enjoyed it all. He was generous not just with his money, but his time, his love, his creativity, his joy. How could money used so joyously be evil? It can't.

Money, like any idol becomes evil only when it becomes more important in your life than anything else.