[Sung Psalm: 49]
Do not toil to acquire wealth. Proverbs says that wealth is fleeting. “When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.â€
The rest of Proverbs 23 warns against a variety of other fleeting desires: some people really want their kids to like them, so they don't discipline them (v12-14); others pursue food and drink and result in poverty (verses 19-21); others pursue sex with the adulteress (v26-28); others pursue alcohol and drugs (v29-35).
But the pursuit of riches, pleasure, power, or peace – all comes to the same end. As Psalm 49 says, “even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.â€
You are going to die. And there is nothing that you can do about it! You cannot prolong your life. And you cannot take the riches of this age with you. As Psalm 49 says, “when he dies he will carry nothing away.â€
Paul concludes his first epistle to Timothy with two exhortations: first, a charge to the rich, and second, a charge to Timothy to guard the deposit entrusted to him... |