ESOCS Devotional 29 December
TEXT: ECCLESIASTES 5:10-20
MEMORY VERSE: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Matthew 16:26a KJV
One irony of life is that those who spend all their time acquiring money and looking for more wealth, are never able to get enough. In addition, in their frustration, they often come to a disappointing reality that silver and gold never bring true happiness (Ps. 62:10). There may be nothing wrong with wealth per se, but what becomes incorrect is when an individual makes acquisition of wealth his sole purpose in life (Luke 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:10).
Worse still, the more one has, the more others come to help him spend it, and therefore what he calls wealth, he helplessly watches slip through his fingers. On the other hand, the more wealth one has, the more responsibility he has in distributing his wealth to others. It follows therefore that he that acquires wealth for the purpose of helping others, is doing a good work – demonstrating the love of Christ, and attracting more divine blessings to himself (Acts. 20:34-35).
Unfortunately, some acquire wealth only for the purpose of storage or hoarding wealth, but the likelihood of losing all in one bad business adventure is imminent. So where is the wisdom in all this? (Eccl. 2:22). The one who stocks up wealth, just for the sake of being adjudged wealthy (without caring for others), is only cheating himself, for he loses the opportunity in life of having the satisfaction of doing good to others. God is the giver of all, and if believers must be like God, they must learn to give as God (James 1:27).
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
CHALLENGES
Carefully, study Luke 12:15-21, side by side with Matt. 16:26. Meditate deeply.
PRAYER POINT
Lord, grant me the saving grace to trust less in riches, for the sake of my soul. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Ecclesiastes 7:13-29; Luke 4: 37-39; 4:40-44
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ESOCS Devotional 29 December
