Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Here Yesterday, Gone Today!

Proverbs 11.28 -- Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

Seven trillion dollars! That's a seven followed by twelve zeroes. An astronomical sum, particularly from the perspective of someone making a low five-digit salary, but that is the amount of wealth that has been lost in the U.S. stock markets during the past few weeks (and that is a conservative estimate!).

Seven trillion dollars . . . is there any clearer demonstration of the fleeting nature of wealth to be found? "Here one day and gone the next," isn't that the saying we hear from time to time? But, do we live our life with this philosophy in mind?

Modern society is built on the philosophy that happiness is a product of wealth and possessions. From birth, the idea that more is better is taught. And, so, we work and earn, work and earn. It's all about the money, isn't it?

Days and nights spent on the job. A family at home without a father. A church left without a sister. The health of the body, mind and soul all but forgotten. "Gotta pay the bills, gotta put food on the able, gotta buy this, gotta buy that, gotta save up for the future." It's all about the money, isn't it?

Money is a necessity--life in this world requires the green. But, wealth is simply a means to an end, it is a resource and nothing more. "Here today, gone tomorrow." These words are so true. Why can't we hear them over, "Gotta, gotta, gotta"?

Seven trillion dollars . . . here yesterday, but gone today!

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