There are things more important than money. There’s self-respect.”
–Louis L’Amour (Showdown at Yellow Butte)
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
–1 Timothy 6:10 (NKJV)
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“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” The clods drop, but the wealthy person just lays there, his wealth doing him no good now. Before looking at Proverbs 10:2, I want to look at the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes, “Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness!” (5:10, NLT) I look at celebrities, at entrepreneurs, at politicians who gather in wealth by legal or illegal means and what does it get them. In the long run, their hearse will not be pulling a U-Haul with their wealth in it to their grave. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” Two questions must be asked: Where is your treasure? How did you obtain it?
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.” –NKJV
“Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” — ESV
“Ill-gotten gain has no lasting value, but right living can save your life.” –NLT
It’s a shame that money is needed in society to get by. Money, to pay the bills; money to pay for the thrills. There is nothing wrong with money as long as it stays in the right priority in one’s life and is not gotten by ill gain. Bob Beasley writes, “Treasure gotten by theft, extortion, fraud and the like are really treasures of wrath, and not ‘treasure’ at all.” Paul says, “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” (Romans 2:5, NKJV) Think of that–“treasuring up wrath.”
Let’s add the words of Jesus to this, from the Phillips’ translation: “Don’t pile up treasures on earth, where moth and rust can spoil them and thieves can break in and steal. But keep your treasure in Heaven where there is neither moth nor rust to spoil it and nobody can break in and steal. For wherever your treasure is, you may be certain that your heart will be there too!” (Matthew 6:19-21) There is a scene from one of my favorite movies, “Conagher,” where there is death in the bunkhouse. The ranch owner asked, “What makes a man go to the bad?” The cowpuncher, Johnny, answers, “It’s the money.” Conagher replies, “Lord help us if that’s what it is.”
Think for a moment. Where was Enoch’s treasure? It was walking with God. And God treasured his faithfulness and his walk. Moses, lived forty years in wealth and splendor all around him, but decided that there is a deeper, greater treasure than all the wealth of Egypt. Naboth would not sell his vineyard to the king. Ahab eventually gets the vineyard with the death of Naboth and with it came the “treasure of wrath,” a curse of God.
Remember the rich man, “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (Luke 16:22-23, NKJV) Then there is the rich man who built new barns, and had many goods who said, “‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years, take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God!'” (Luke 12:19-21, NKJV) The treasure of wrath.
Wealth cannot deliver from death. What joy is there in an abundance of wealth if not used wisely and properly? One reason why many are philanthropists is that it eases the conscience and it touches something in their soul. Pity the person who extorts and gets wealth by fraudulent means. Their wealth cannot help them in the grave. J.L. Flores says, “The richest man cannot purchase exemption from this law [of death] with all his wealth.” Where is your treasure? Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…