100 Days with Jesus -- How Do You Really Feel About Wealth?

Day 60
How do you really feel about wealth? If you dig down real deep and ask yourself if you can possibly live a life of joy, satisfaction and contentment without wealth and possessions, what would your answer REALLY be? Let’s be honest. Okay, I struggled with this one. I’ve been broke and I’ve had money and to be honest, having money was much better. Let’s see, there is less stress. I can fulfill my obligations without the embarrassment of an unpaid bill. I can take vacations and go out to eat dinner any time I want. I can give more to my church and help others in need. But when it comes down to it, I don’t want to be the one in need. I would rather be the giver than the receiver. Is it because I’m so generous? As I think about it, I have to admit the answer is no. I am generous but I would rather be the giver because of pride. I don’t want to have to ask for help.
Ouch! That was painful, but oh so true. Well, I won’t get into my deep psyche any further at this point, maybe more another day. But wealth has its purpose. It is there to provide for our needs and the needs of others but it is not to be the source of peace and contentment. I believe this recession has taught that lesson to many of us, including myself. What I have relied upon and worked for can vanish in an instant and I’ve spoken to many people who have experienced the loss of all their possessions.

Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes talks at great length about wealth and more importantly, what it is not. As one of the wealthiest men in history, he found no happiness in all his things. But as I read this, I think to myself that it’s easy for him to say, he had it. What about the people that don’t have it? I know this, as Lanny and I have faced an economic time in history that we haven’t experienced before, we have had to consider what’s important to us. And I can tell you, it wasn’t our things. Yes, we wanted to honor our commitments and fulfill our obligations but if it had come down to it, our relationship with the Lord, with each other and our health came first. Yet, these are the very things that are sacrificed first for wealth. Working and being productive and successful is good so how do we balance it with joy and contentment or does it go hand in hand? I’m rambling a little but what do you think?