“I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him.” (Ecclesiastes 5:13-14)
Money is a lousy provider. You just can’t trust it. You work hard to earn some of it, and then an unexpected expense comes along and takes it all away. That didn’t happen to Solomon, but he saw it in the lives of his people.
In response, some of us get irrational about money. When we get some, we refuse to spend it no matter what — as if having money was the point of life. “I think I’m really sick, but I’m not going to waste my money on doctors.” Or, “My car needs brakes, but there’s no way I’m paying that kind of cash.”
One famous example involves a woman in the 1800s who had millions but died from malnutrition in a freezing apartment because she couldn’t stand to part with any dollars. People do foolish things when they start to believe that having money is the key to being safe, secure, and happy.
Think: Most people tend to either spend money foolishly or hold on to it too tightly. Does one of those describe you? What do both weaknesses reveal about our faith in money and our faith in God?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to put your faith in money, but to trust Him instead. Ask Him to help you to earn it, save it, give it, and spend it wisely.
Do: Listen this week for examples of people who lost a lot of money unexpectedly.