December 19 2017 – Click here to listen
We had some friends that we would occasionally go out and eat with and the husband was totally unsatisfied with his role in life. He was a pharmaceutical rep and made his living calling on doctors.
He made nearly a six-figure income, but it paled into insignificance when compared to his wealthy customers. His wife complicated the problem by demanding big diamond rings, mink coats and other signs of affluence that she wore to his well to do doctor client parties and social gatherings.
He struggled mightily to “keep up with the Joneses,” but he just could not afford to travel in those same circles. He was very bitter about it and constantly whining about how his friends were taking European vacations and driving exotic sports cars while he was left behind. He lamented that if only he had gone on to medical school he would be rich like his customers, and then all his problems would be solved.
I was over at his upscale house one day and his Mercedes was parked outside. I went inside and it was furnished with new furniture and was obviously decorated by a professional, it even had different accessories as Glow Decorations to make the place look even better. His daughter was in veterinary school and his son had his own business.
He started in with the whining and as I slowly looked around I scolded him and pointed out that he had far more than most people and he should be thankful. I told him the average wage in the world was about $1400 a month. Many are unemployed and starving and couldn’t even afford to put clothes on their children.
He looked at me and told me that he didn’t care about those “people.” He said, “I care about me!”
Wow, that says it all huh?
Ask anyone who has ever had real wealth and they will tell you that it will not bring you joy, peace, or love. That only comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ. No matter how much you have, someone else will have more. If he was a doctor and had more money, he would just want more and more, and more. I have a friend who is a stock market legend.
A famous movie was made about him and several books written chronicling his exploits. He is miserable. His children are a wreck; he has been divorced numerous times; he is disliked by his peers, but he has money.
Whoopee . . . He would be the first to tell you it is meaningless.
To him it is just a game and if you asked him how much money it would take to make him happy, he would say, MORE! It is all he haves in his miserable life. One day he will die and be stripped of it all and then what will he do?
Old King Solomon had it all. He was wiser than any man ever created, he was richer than anyone, he had every material thing anyone could want, and yet he stated it was all meaningless.
His conclusion was that we should “fear God and obey His commandments.” If my friend and his wife would have just realized that the peace, joy, and love they sought could be found in Jesus and respecting His desires for their behavior he would have been richer than he could imagine. Jesus wants us to have compassion for those who are poverty stricken and show mercy to them. Helping someone in need out today is a good starting point for us all, especially during this Christmas season, eh?
Help someone out today and enjoy the imperishable riches that accompany it.
Proverbs 23:5
Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies;