The folly of pursuing material things

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies. They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it. You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted. Proverbs 23:4-8

From the text, God through King Solomon provided valuable lesson as to how a child of God should view accumulating material possessions. If your pursuit in life is to accumulate material riches in this world, you will find that this goal is a folly. As King Solomon himself discovered, “In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.” Disastrous calamities can easily take away material riches. Tough economic times like lost of job, stock crashing, and major financial failure could lead to uncertain future. What you have worked for a lifetime could easily vanish. The Word of God does not teach that having material possessions are negative things but what the Bible teaches is that you evaluate your relationship with the material things. God wants you to love Him more than riches. God wants you to focus on the Source of the blessings and to ask the Giver to help you how you could further His kingdom with the blessings He provides. “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). Pursuit of material things could wear you out and will rob you of joy and peace. Once you get exhausted and frustrated you will look for an escape and rest will be difficult to find. “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness...the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, 12). Time and money are resources that God wants to provide His children so you could glorify Him as you become faithful steward. Seek His direction and plan on how you will use kingdom resources He provides each day.

Blessings,