daily java

Daily Java: Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; 
or he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. 
Though while he lived he counted himself blessed – and men praise you when you prosper – he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life . 
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
(Psalm 49:16-20)

In Fiddler on the Roof, Rev Tevya, the main character, wanted to be a rich man. If he was rich, he felt, then he would not only have the things he wanted, he would also have respect. He would be invited to sit at the places of honor and people would defer to him.

His comment on the whole thing: when you are rich they think you really know.

People are awed by riches. I am not sure why, but the accumulation of a lot of money makes people respect you.

And when they respect you, they give you a lot more honor than you might deserve.

Someone who is rich is obviously successful in something, or they wouldn’t be rich.

But riches don’t mean everything.

Of course, not having them colors my perception, but I have known and seen some really stupid rich people.

Currently there have been two very wealthy young women put in jail for absolute rebellion. Both had problems with substance abuse and several other things, and because they were wealthy, they felt they were owed special privileges.

The problem is, they were given those privileges. And it hurt them badly.

People just feel uncomfortable not being deferential to wealth.

Riches have one problem, though. They can be lost. And besides that, they are absolutely untransferable to the next life.

The Pharaohs of Egypt thought they could do this. They were buried with the wealth and even some servants so they would be prepared in the next life.

Before long, of course, someone broke in and took their stuff. After all, when they died, it was no longer their stuff.

The old adage, you can’t take it with you, is true. When you die, you are no longer rich or poor. You are dead. And you go to God with what you have done for him and your relationship with him.

And a rich man who doesn’t understand that is no better than an animal. You could pile a bunch of stuff on a cat and when he died, he would be as rich as you when you died.

Easy to say and easy to write, but rich people are no different than others when it comes to their relationship to God. That is probably why Jesus wrote more on the vagaries of wealth than anything else.

Life in God is wealth, and the riches of his glory is wealth enough.