My wife and I watched Crazy Rich Asians the other day. The lavish lifestyles the wealthy live struck me as opulent but empty. I know its a movie and things can be exaggerated, but it was still eye-opening. What we need to remember is that even the most affluent people have problems, and in the end, silver will never satisfy the true desire of every heart, which is love.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.
Solomon Would Know
Some experts say there has been no one richer than Solomon. He was the wealthiest of his day so we can take his opinion on money as well informed. At the end of his life, the man who had everything discovered that silver never satisfies a person. The lover of wealth will always be disappointed. Many wealthy people end their lives regretting not spending time on what truly matters.
It will Never Satisfy You
The world wants to lure you into the thinking that money solves everything. If you have enough of it, you can solve all of your problems. What you will find is that you never have enough and there are some things that money can’t solve. Paul tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil. It’s the love of wealth that is bad. Money itself is neutral. It is neither good nor bad. That is why Solomon says “whoever loves wealth is never satisfied.”
Cultivate a Healthy View of Money
Every Christian needs a healthy view of money. A poverty mentality can be just as damaging a greedy one. Those who are up to their eyeballs in debt are in as much bondage to it as those who are trying to get rich. If money is an idol, we need to crucify it. Be content with what God has blessed you with and strive to be generous. When we learn to master money it will serve us, not the other way around.