Put Possessions in Perspective
“Money often costs too much.”
—RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Without a healthy attitude toward money and possessions, everyday life can be miserable. People who think too highly of finances and material goods often live in pursuit of luxuries that leave them unsatisfied. They find themselves with full bank accounts and empty hearts, or end up spending more than they make and struggling under the weight of debt. This story, entitled “And This Too Shall Pass,” powerfully illustrates the need to have our money and possessions in perspective.
One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it.”
“If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?”
“It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.” Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.
Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet. “Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah.
He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.
That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. “Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after?” All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.
To everyone’s surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, “Here it is, your majesty!” As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: “gimel, zayin, yud,” which began the words “Gam zeh ya’avor”—“This too shall pass.”
At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.1
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
In many cultures around the world today, we place heavy emphasis on money, designer clothes and accessories, high-end electronics, luxury cars, and other material goods. Many aspects of everyday life have fallen prey to commercialization, and societies assign great value to worldly success and provisions, and everywhere we look the message is to earn more, buy more, and have more.
But I am not sure “more” is all it’s cracked up to be; I do not believe more money or more possessions are a solution to people’s problems. Everywhere I go, I notice men and women, even boys and girls, are so busy trying to acquire more—more money, more “stuff,” more anything. People rarely have time for each other anymore—and that does not seem to bother them as much as it bothered people years ago. Life has become so complicated and so driven, often by the pursuit of money and possessions—a pursuit that will leave us empty and unfulfilled if we are not careful.
First Timothy 6:7 says, “For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world.” As we develop a healthy perspective on possessions and finances, we must understand we will not be able to carry anything with us when we pass away. The money and things we have on earth are for us to enjoy and use to bless others. They are not to make us feel superior to someone else, to hoard and protect, or to show off. We are not to love, treasure, or serve things; we are to love and serve God. We are not to seek things above all; we are to seek God’s kingdom first and foremost—and things will be added to us (see Matthew 6:33).
The money and things we have on earth are for us to enjoy and use to bless others.
I have no problem whatsoever with people who have nice things. I have some nice things and I enjoy them, but I am determined not to love them. In this day and age, if any of us are going to resist the temptation to love material possessions, we must resist it on purpose because we are surrounded by greed. I often overhear people making comments such as, “Well, I just can’t be happy if I don’t have a bigger house” or “I just have to have those new designer jeans.” I have even heard people say, “Oh, that (house, car, outfit) is to die for.” These statements represent the values of our culture, but they do not reflect the values of God’s kingdom.
CONTENT AND SATISFIED
God’s Word has much to say to us about money and physical provisions. In 1 Timothy 6:8, Paul writes, “But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (satisfied). Our modern minds can hardly comprehend this statement. We ask, “How in the world could anybody be satisfied with only food and clothing?” I believe Paul’s point here is more than literal food and clothes. He is referring to the basic needs of life. If our basic needs are met, we need to be happy!
We are to be content with the things we really need, without feeling driven to keep acquiring more.
We are to be content with the things we really need, without feeling driven to keep acquiring more. If we focus on being thankful to God for meeting our needs and if we keep our minds on Him, we will be blessed. Many times, we will end up with more and better things than we can provide for ourselves if we will simply love Him, love people and try to help them, stay humble before God, worship Him, and trust Him. When He knows our hearts truly belong to Him, He knows He can count on us to be good stewards of the things He gives us and not to love them excessively or allow ourselves to have an unbalanced attitude toward them.
RUN!
The passage in 1 Timothy continues: “But those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing. For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things” (vv. 9–11, emphasis mine).
Here, Paul encourages Timothy as a man of God to run from the mentality that craves to be rich and loves money. Really, he is speaking to all of us concerning financial greed and saying, “Do not let that get a hold on you.” Once again, I want to assure you that God delights in your prosperity and Deuteronomy 8:18 states that God gives us the power to get wealth, but greed is dangerous and steals the life of its possessor (see Proverbs 1:19).
God does not mind our having things as long as things do not “have” us.
We need to pay attention to what is going on in our minds and with our desires. When we begin to be unhappy because we do not have “one of these” and “one of those” and “another one of that,” we are headed toward an unbalanced approach to money and possessions. God does not mind our having things as long as things do not “have” us. He is not opposed to our having money; it is the love of money that gets us into trouble, and is, in fact, “a root of all evils.”
GREEDY GEHAZI
I want you to know the story of a man named Gehazi, an Old Testament character who loved money to the point it literally kept him from reaching his destiny.
Gehazi was a servant of the prophet Elisha, and one day a military official named Naaman, who had leprosy, went to Elisha for healing. After he was healed, he tried and tried to give Elisha a gift, but Elisha refused to receive anything from him.
In 2 Kings 5, we read about the decision that changed Gehazi’s life:
“But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving from his hands what he brought. But as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master has sent me to say, There have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. I pray you, give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments” (vv. 20–22).
Naaman gave Gehazi the money and the clothes, and even sent two of his servants to take them to Gehazi’s house. When Elisha later asked Gehazi, “Where have you been?” Gehazi told another lie and responded, “Nowhere” (see v. 25). But Elisha knew better and said, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money, garments, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, oxen, menservants, and maidservants?” (v. 26). As a result of Gehazi’s behavior, Elisha said: “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you and to your offspring forever. And Gehazi went from his presence a leper as white as snow” (v. 27).
I wonder how many times in his life Gehazi sat around with leprosy, looked at other people who were successful, and thought about the man he could have been.
I wonder how many times in his life Gehazi sat around with leprosy, looked at other people who were successful, and thought about the man he could have been.
Gehazi allowed the love of money to change his destiny. How many people today lose their families because of the love of money? How many men work so much their children don’t want to be around them anymore or their wives are so lonely they get involved with other men? How many women fail to develop deep, healthy relationships with friends or meaningful relationships with their husbands, but have the respect and admiration of an office full of co-workers they really don’t know? This happens more than we like to admit—and it’s all because they want money and things! That’s the love of money, and it leads to all kinds of trouble.
Sometimes, people have to work extra hard, get a second job, or put in overtime for a season in order to pay off debt, afford a major purchase, or meet unusual needs. Working hard for those reasons for a period of time is admirable. But working frantically for the sole purpose of keeping up with or outdoing other people is ungodly. They need to understand that another boat, another car, or a larger house will not make them happy. Happiness and the ability to enjoy life come from good relationships with God, family, and friends. Happiness also comes from the peace of knowing you are not in debt!
BE TRANSFORMED
I urge you to not be caught up by the world system and its values. Romans 12:2 makes clear God’s instructions to believers: “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”
I hope you will apply this verse to your life, especially where money and possessions are concerned. Live by the truth of God’s Word in these areas, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your decisions. Do not let your friends or co-workers lead you, but live within your means and be secure in your identity in Christ, not seeking affirmation or acceptance in money or things. Make wise financial decisions and purchases so you can live a blessed life.
Make wise financial decisions and purchases so you can live a blessed life.
GIVE GOD YOUR WHOLE HEART
In Mark 10, we read the story of a man who asked Jesus, “Teacher, [You are essentially and perfectly morally] good, what must I do to inherit eternal life [that is, to partake of eternal salvation]?” (v. 17).
Jesus responded, “Why do you call Me [essentially and perfectly morally] good? There is no one [essentially and perfectly morally] good—except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother” (vv. 18, 19).
The man replied to Jesus that he had obeyed all the commandments, for as long as he could remember. Notice what happened next: “And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him.” (v. 21, emphasis mine). Jesus is about to give this man an instruction because He loved him: “You lack one thing; go and sell all you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come [and] accompany Me [walking the same road that I walk]” (v. 21).
This is not the most popular scripture in the Bible. Many people do not like it, often because they do not understand the heart of love behind it. They wonder, “Does God want me to sell everything I have and give the proceeds to the poor in order to serve Him?” No, not at all. The point of this parable is that we have to love Jesus first. We must love Him more than we love our “stuff,” which was not the case with the man in the story. We need to get rid of anything keeping us from loving and serving God with all of our hearts.
We need to get rid of anything keeping us from loving and serving God with all of our hearts.
If you have a job that keeps you from serving God, find another job. If you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend who does not want you to love God first, find someone else. If you have a hobby or an interest that takes you away from serving God, find another way to spend your time. In practical terms, these are the kinds of lessons Jesus was teaching the wealthy young man. If you really want a deeper walk with God, you may have to sacrifice some things that are keeping you from it. Many times in God’s economy, we have to let go of something lower to take hold of something higher.
Pay attention to Jesus’ next words, which He spoke to His disciples: “With what difficulty will those who possess wealth and keep on holding it enter the kingdom of God!” (v. 23, emphasis mine). Jesus did not say there was anything wrong with the man’s having wealth; He simply said it would be difficult for people to enter the kingdom of God if they have wealth and they keep on holding it.
We are supposed to receive from God, be blessed, and use what He gives us to bless other people.
Where our resources are concerned, we are supposed to be channels, not reservoirs. We are supposed to receive from God, be blessed, and use what He gives us to bless other people. We need to view our finances as a stream with a constant flow. Anytime you dam up water, it gets stagnant—and greed has the same effect on us. It can make us want to hold on to everything we have and not share our blessings with others.
Let me encourage you to be a giver. Do not become enamored with the world’s value system and its attempts to lure you into “more and more and more.” Pay attention to your thoughts and desires so you do not become a lover of money. Study God’s Word to find out what He says about having money and being a good steward, and keep your resources flowing by using them to serve God and bless other people.