What Matters Most In Life

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: 

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” 

  says the Teacher. 

“Utterly meaningless! 

  Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 

  

  King Solomon was the richest and wisest man in the world. How could such a man be miserable? Yet in the Bible Book of Ecclesiastes he puts forth his gloomy outlook on life. Having examined the use of riches and pleasure, he declared it all vanity. 

  Over many years I have heard numerous people state emphatically how much better their lives would be if they won millions of dollars in the lottery game. How their lives would improve. They would go on to say how many wonderful things they could do if they were only rich. 

  I do not have any desire to win a lottery or become rich. Why? Because I am smart enough to know that with more money comes more problems and rather than making one a paragon of virtue, it most likely would ruin those who were given such wealth. 

  If we cannot be satisfied with what we already have, what the Good Lord has already given to us, having increased wealth would not make things better or make us godlier. 

  Indeed, in one place in the Bible book of Proverbs the wise man says: 

  

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; 

  give me neither poverty nor riches, 

  but give me only my daily bread. 

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you 

  and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ 

Or I may become poor and steal, 

  and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9 

  

  If we can find happiness and joy where we find ourselves in life, then we are truly rich. If we can count our blessings and thank God daily, we are in a place of great wealth of soul and spirit. Desire Jesus, place importance upon Him and your relationship with Him, and you will have all that truly matters in this life. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, make us neither rich nor proud, but humble and wealthy in spiritual things. Fill us with Yourself, guide us by Your love and grace, and we will have everything we need by Your hand and kindness to us. Amen.