Be rich
Be Rich
Thursday March 1, 2018
Rapper “50 Cent” has earned over $155 million in his career yet just a few years ago he declared bankruptcy. Former major league baseball player Curt Shilling earned more than $144 million throughout his career and in 2012 only three years after retiring he declared bankruptcy. It is estimated that heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson earned between $300 and $500 million and his net worth eventually dwindled down to just $1 million. Statistics show that 70% of all lottery winners will lose all of their winnings within five years. Do you think if you ever made over $100 million or if you won a mega lottery that this would happen to you?
Who doesn’t want to be rich? Who doesn’t want to have enough money to buy the things they want? Who doesn’t want to have enough money to quit their job to do something they are passionate about instead? Awareness of the things we want is what causes in us to desire and pursue becoming rich. What you focus on impacts the way you manage and spend your money. The more you focus on things, the more you will end up buying. The problem is that what you buy today will not satisfy you tomorrow and the even bigger problem is that no matter how many things you purchase big or small, you can’t take any of them with you. In the end they will become valueless to you.
The pursuit of wealth should never be our main objective; our main objective should be to pursue God and to become the right persons. Having wealth is not a bad thing but living to pursue wealth is. This is why the Apostle Paul wrote the following: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:9-10) Maybe this explains why people who’ve earned millions and millions of dollars never seem to be satisfied.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. – 1 Timothy 6:18-19
Instead of pursuing more stuff, the Apostle Paul commands us to pursue doing good things. Instead of pursuing becoming rich in stuff, the Apostle Paul commands us to become rich in good deeds. And instead of pursuing more wealth, the Apostle Paul commands us to seek opportunities to be generous and to share with others. The things we focus on drives our spending. If we changed our focus from the things we don’t have and want, to focus on the needs of others, it would drastically impact the way we spend our money. In the culture’s way of spending money we end up with a lot of valueless stuff. None of which we can take with us when we die. In God’s way of managing money we end up with treasures in heaven and true life.
If our main focus is on the things that we want it will adversely impact the way we spend our money and eventually we will end up in ruin and destruction. That is why so many people are in debt and are presently paying on their credit cards for things they no longer use, want, or have. That is why God tells us that true life (contentment) is not found by falling in love with newer, bigger, and better. But rather by falling in love with the pursuit of God and by becoming aware of the needs of others and being willing to share and be generous with them.
Questions:
- What are some of the things you want and how did you become aware of their existence?
- If you were rich, what would be the first thing you would purchase? Be honest.
- When you look at the way you spend your money, which do you focus more on, the things that you want or the needs of others?
- What does it mean to you, to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share?
- How can you begin to change the focus from the things you want to the needs of others?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we love you because you first loved us; we were always first in your heart and in your plans. Today I pray that above all things you would come first in my life, my time, my relationships, and in my plans. I don’t want to pursue the fruitless journey of becoming rich, I want to pursue the rewarding journey of putting others first, I want to store up treasures in heaven that have eternal value and are pleasing to you. Help me to shift my focus so that it aligns with your divine plan. Help me to focus on others instead of always on myself. Thank you for your goodness and for your everlasting love and mercy. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
