THE VALUE OF BEING GODLY

Psalm 37:16-17 New Living Translation   

“It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.”

            The reason many people become wealthy is because that is their god.  That is what they live for.  In their minds wealth brings peace, contentment and fulfillment.  Money can tend to evaporate like water and be gone before you know it.  If you happen to lose your job your source of peace, contentment and fulfillment has vanished.  God is going nowhere and his peace, contentment and fulfillment are of the eternal kind.  Living for God and placing your full trust in him will provide all you will need in this life.

            Earlier in my adult life I pulled down a six figure income and I can tell you from personal experience that the more you have the more you spend and the more you want.  Your focus on the Lord is replaced with things. Material possessions aren’t evil in and of themselves; it’s the value you put on them that matters.  I have some nice things, but if they were gone tomorrow I would survive.  Would I replace them, probably at some point, but it wouldn’t consume me.  God is no respecter of persons¹; therefore he takes care of you as well as me.

            There is a certain level of satisfaction that comes from living for the Lord.  Little seems like more than enough with God.  Striving for wealth drives a person to exhaustion and for what?  It is truly worth giving up your soul for material possessions?²  Money is a necessity since we need it to buy food and pay bills.  It’s necessary for the fun things in life as well.  Focus on God for he is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

¹ Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11

² Matthew 16:26 “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[a] Is anything worth more than your soul?”

Mark 8:36 “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”

Luke 9:25 “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”