A Shattering Image

You’ve worked hard; you’ve made a good income, now you’re all ready to retire. Your investment advisor has given you the best advice money can buy. Your 401K, your tax free muni’s, your Roth IRA, your index funds, your long stock positions, your insurance policies, your coin collection, your art portfolio, your vacation home, your families inheritance and everything else you have stored up promises you a worry-free retirement. You’ve been diligent in your accumulations. Whether you have all these things or none of these things, one thing is certain. You’re gonna die. Kinda shatters the retirement image huh?

While writing the majority of the book of Proverbs (a scorching good read) Solomon condensed the sayings of this book to form a library of instruction on how to live a godly life here on earth and how to be assured of a reward in the afterlife. These proverbs are not so much popular sayings, as they are the accumulated distilled wisdom from someone who knew the law of God. Every facet of human life is mentioned in Proverbs, it is a book that is for all men everywhere, in any culture, any ethnic, in any time. The general theme is wisdom for everyday living. The topics covered go from wealth and poverty to death. Furthermore, the Bible says that Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived.

Jesus realized the importance people placed on money—then and now. The image Jesus presents may be shattering like the glass above, but, can you find a better advisor?

Does money master you? Jesus says we can have only one master. We live in a materialistic world where many people serve money. They spend their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind. Their desire for money and what it can buy outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. Please don’t fall into the materialistic trap, because “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10) Jesus contrasted heavenly values with earthly values when he explained that our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot rust or be stolen or used up and never wear out. We should not be fascinated with our possessions, lest they possess us. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20

Jesus says that we have to have a changed vision on money. Let us be possessed by God’s love, nothing else. “No one can serve two masters. 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 two masters.” Matthew 6:24 The book of Hebrews says for us to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.

Bottom line

“But ye seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” Matthew 6:33