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"THE MEASURE
OF WEALTH"
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Scripture: Luke 12:15 "A man's life does not consist in the
abundance of things which he possesses."
These words from Jesus remind us that real life and happiness does not depend
upon how much stuff we have. We are human and we have needs in the natural, but
Jesus said we are not to be "anxious and troubled about these things ...
for life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing."
Jesus proceeded to tell the story of a man who had an immoderate desire for
wealth. He was greedy and desired to have more and more. He kept
gathering grain into his storehouse until he had to build other storehouses
just to accommodate his wealth simply because he would not share his
blessings. He was very secure within himself and measured the wealth
of his life by the abundance of his storehouses. When he thought he had
fully arrived, he decided to sit back and enjoy life. His words to
himself were, "Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry." God
had other plans, however. He came on the scene that very night, requiring
the man's life, and all that the man had stored up was passed to someone
else. In the Message Bible, Eugene Peterson summed the matter up by
saying, "This is what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not
with God."
Jesus was relating to us that a barn full of stuff or a life full of stuff
is not necessarily a life that is full. You cannot define or measure
life by the things that you have or the things that you do not have. Real life is
found in Jesus. In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am life." And
the important "stuff of life" is found in our relationship with God,
our families and children, health, peace, and happiness. Too many times
we take our life and health for granted, and forget to count the true blessings
that God has provided for us. Many folks today would give everything they
own to have their health, youth, marriage, and family relations restored.
Those paralyzed and diseased would trade all of their possessions to be able to
live a normal life. The fact remains that the best things in life cannot
be purchased or stored up. A quote from an unknown source encourages us
with these words:
"Measure wealth not by the things you have,
But by the things you have for which you would not
take money." +++
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