Most human beings look at riches from a different light
than the Bible talks about them. We want to get rich quick, without any effort.
It does happen for some. They win the lottery or receive an inheritance or make
money in the stock market. Some people do well until the interest rates fall,
or they lose their family and friends because greed over the money forces them
to part ways. The money only lasts for a lifetime, if that long; and in the
scheme of eternity, that is a very short time.
In fact, gold in heaven is so common that God paved the
streets with it (Revelation 21:21). Jesus said that we can buy gold
from Him, so we can be rich for eternity; however, it is gold that is formed in
us though our trials (2 Timothy 2:12). We can also buy white cloth
from Him with our righteous deeds, to use for our wedding dress. If we do not
have any righteous deeds, we will appear naked and ashamed at our wedding feast
between Christ and us (Revelations 15:16).
Loving money traps us with all kinds of evil, some of which
causes us to stop serving God (1 Timothy 6:10). Our life does not consist only of
the abundance of things, which we possess (Luke 12:15).
Otherwise, possessions end up possessing us. Riches tend to bring us more
misery than blessings (James 5:1-5; 1 Timothy 6:10). The
only good thing about having money is that we can share it with those in need (1 John
3:17). Truly, Godly riches outshine anything this world has to offer.
We cannot serve God and money at the same time, because
they both require all of our time (Luke 16:13; 1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus
calls us to repent and to live a zealous life for Him (Revelation
3:18-19). God is a righteous God and He corrects and disciplines
those He loves (Proverbs 3:11-12). We gain wisdom in life by
realizing what a totally awesome Lord and Savior we have in Jesus Christ (Proverbs
2:1-11, 9:10). He is the fountain of life, and the light of the world (Psalm
36:9).
Prayer:
Father God, it does not matter if we have worldly riches,
because You see to it that every person, who is faithful to You, will abound
with blessings (Proverbs 28:20). You exalt the one who is lowly (James
1:9-11). We do not want to gather earthly treasures, because moths
and rust will just destroy them, and thieves will steal them (Matthew
6:19-21). We do not need to build an empire on this earth (Isaiah
5:8), because You already prepared a mansion for us in heaven (John
14:2).
Thought for the Day:
Our life does not consist of what we possess. – Luke
12:15:21