Rich In The Eyes Of…

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says: Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

Awhile ago I read the book Weird by Craig Groeschel. One of the sections was on money and boy was I challenged – I hope you too, are challenged by some of the things below:

Let’s start here:
What do you consider rich? Who do you consider rich? If someone were to ask you “how much money would you need to have or make in order to be rich” what would you say?

Have you ever thought that maybe YOU are the rich person? Yes, we are all quick to say “but so and so has MUCH more money than I do.” Yes, that may be true. But in comparison to who? That “so and so” might think they aren’t rich, but that THEIR peer is rich because they make more than THEY do. Are you getting my drift?

Who decides who is rich and who isn’t?

If you were to ask God if you were rich, what would He say? Have you ever wondered if those passages in Scripture that talk about the rich, are talking about you and I?

We live in a culture where enough is never enough. Businesses and stores are trying to tell us what the latest and greatest thing that we NEED to have is. Clothing stores tell us how we will look good – but ONLY if we buy “this.” We find ourselves complaining about what we don’t have, yet complain about what we do have and that we have too much clutter. Do you ever wonder if God thinks “will they ever be satisfied?”

What is wrong with us? I  say us because I am including myself in this. I sometimes don’t think Dan and I are rich – but by who’s standards? But then I read passages in the Bible and realize God is talking to ME. I, Kristin, can become a lover of money – when I desire things I don’t need. Dan and I ARE rich. If we want to start comparing ourselves to the standards of the world, we are EXTREMELY rich. How sad it is then, when I think we are not.

We can go to bed at night, not wondering where our next meal is going to come from. We can sleep at night, knowing all of our bills are paid. We are rich. I don’t say that to sound arrogant or selfish – I say that because God is talking to US. If I am always thinking “but we don’t make as much as so and so,” well I will NEVER be satisfied. Because quite frankly we probably won’t ever make as much as “so and so.” There is always SOMEONE who is making more. We need to pause and think about where that mentality is going to lead us.

God has blessed us SO RICHLY. Now it is our turn to GIVE (which will be tomorrow’s post).

I hope you are able to take a step back and realize how much God has blessed you with. You may be going through a rough time financially. I am not downplaying that. But I will say that we are often more rich than what we think we are. What a humbling gift!

Ecclesiastes 5:19 says: When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept hislot and be happy in his work – this is a gift from God.