Idols and Treasures!

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     Several years ago, when the much venerated computer genius Steve Jobs died, there was much discussion about his techno contributions to the world.  I don’t know if he died in Christ or not, but undoubtedly all of our lives have been impacted to a greater or lesser extent by his accomplishments.
    There was a man standing behind me in a Rite-Aid store during the time of Steve Job’s death, who stated with awe, as he beheld the techno-mogul’s image on a magazine cover, ‘Man!  All that money he made..!’  I couldn’t help but respond, “Yes, but he had to leave it all behind.”  The late-thirty-something man didn’t seem impressed by my equally audible remark.  My point is, I doubt that many of us-- even we Christians-- are more impressed by those who  die, leaving behind a rich legacy in Christ, than we are with those souls who were (as they say), “rollin’ in the dough’ while on earth, but spiritually bankrupt, still in Adam, rather than Christ, when they died. There’s nothing wrong, of course, with monetary wealth, and/or making great contributions to the world during this temporal lifetime.  Recall the exchange between our Savior and the rich young ruler, told in Matthew 19:16-30, (as well as in Mark 10 and Luke 18); the man’s sin was not in the fact of his riches, but that the riches had him!  Moreover,  great monetary wealth does not mean that its possessor has greater favor than persons with more meager possessions—a commonly held belief among first-century people (and quite a few today in the 21 century)!  The converse is also true-- being poor does not put one in a more favorable light with the God of the universe either.
      Things such as million-dollar athletic ability, performing talents, or extraordinary academic capabilities, benefit mankind in a myriad of ways, but let us resist idolizing the temporal wealth that can accompany God-given abilities over the wealth which endures throughout eternity! We know God has made everything to glorify Himself (Prov. 16:4(a), but let us resist the world’s pull to idolizing  monetary wealth and genuinely embrace the pursuit of riches that will never fade away.  Make sure that if you are wealthy, that you own the wealth and that it doesn’t possess you!

PRAYER:  Dear Father, thank You for the ability to earn a living, the wisdom to save for our future needs, for grace to be able to contribute to things of eternal value, as You bless us,  and further grace to not idolize riches that are of no use once we go through death’s door.  In Christ’s name, Amen!
By Denise Diggs