Getting Rich

“This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.  They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
 Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.  Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them. Though while they live they count themselves blessed—and people praise you when you prosper—they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life. People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.” (Psalm 49:13-20 NIV)

I recall watching a documentary series a few years ago called, “The Men Who Built America.”  It chronicled the rise and influence of J.D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford.  Their wealth at the time was beyond compare.  All five men were depicted as inventive, but ruthless and greedy as well.  They pursued wealth for the wealth itself.  They could never have enough.

Watching several of these episodes reminded me of how little the heart of men and women change from generation to generation.  The desire for wealth is just as strong today as it was a hundred years ago and even 2500 years ago.  Most of us dream of “striking it rich” even if we think it unlikely.  We observe the rich from afar and many of us are envious.  Like those before us, we think life would be much better if we were wealthy.  

But wealth is a double-edged sword and most of us look at only the one side—all the benefits of wealth.  The other side, however, demands our attention.  Jesus called wealth a master and that we could not serve it and God at the same time (Matthew 6:24).  Paul tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Timothy 6:10) and is a disqualifier for spiritual leadership (I Timothy 3:2-3).  And the Psalmist tells us that no wealth (or the benefits from it) gained in this life will follow us into the next.  In fact, he warns that those who embrace wealth as their security are no better than the cattle that perish every day to become the burgers and steaks on our plates.  

Our culture promotes wealth as the panacea for all our difficulties and as the path to happiness, and so many pursue it or at least dream about it.  But the Scriptures warn of the dangers of this path and we would all be wise to listen.

Today, recognize that while the culture promotes acquiring wealth as the ideal for life, the Scriptures tell a very different story.  If your dream is to get rich, make sure it is of the eternal kind; for those are the only riches that will last and that you will be taking with you.

© Jim Musser 2017