It’s
not bad to be rich. It is bad to be
greedy and desire money, believing it will make your life more fulfilled. Solomon, the richest king to ever live, gave
some insight into this problem.
Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10
The rich
person never has enough money, always wanting more.
As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them? Ecclesiastes 5:11
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them? Ecclesiastes 5:11
The
rich person puts on weight with more money.
He also carries more burden on his spirit.
The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep. Ecclesiastes 5:12
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep. Ecclesiastes 5:12
The
rich person can’t sleep well, worrying about all his riches.
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit. Ecclesiastes 5:13-14
or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit. Ecclesiastes 5:13-14
As a rich person
grabs more and more for himself, he has nothing to leave for others, especially
his children. He may not even have any
relationship with those children.
Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
that they can carry in their hands. Ecclesiastes 5:15
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
that they can carry in their hands. Ecclesiastes 5:15
The
rich person leaves this world with nothing, empty handed, possibly entering an
afterlife of hopelessness and despair.
This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?
All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger. Ecclesiastes 5:16-17
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?
All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger. Ecclesiastes 5:16-17
The rich
person lives a life of frustration and affliction and enters an after-life with more of the same if he didn't trust Jesus as his savior.
Moreover, when God gives
someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their
lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom
reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with
gladness of heart. Ecclesiastes 5:19-20
If
a rich person has God, then God allows him to enjoy his wealth by making others
happy, reflecting on God’s will for his life, not his own will for his life. God gives him gladness and
joy. That’s when being rich is a good
thing.