A wise man once said, “Do not overwork to be rich.” Actually, this man is probably the RICHEST MAN on earth during his time and the wisest human king in the history. He has the biggest mansion. He can listen to the best musicians anytime he wanted to. He has 300 wives and 700 concubines. He planted huge vineyards, made orchards and gardens, tasted all the best wines, had huge possessions of herds and flocks, and gathered silver and gold and made them so common in his palace as if they are just like ordinary stone.
By this time, you probably know who this man is. His name is King Solomon. He wrote in the Book of Proverbs something that you might not expect to hear from a man who had it all. He said:
“Do NOT overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they FLY AWAY like an eagle toward heaven” (Proverbs 23:4-5).
Today, in a world full of people who want to be rich, this is what he had to say to them. “Do not overwork to be rich.” In other words, if your ultimate goal in life is to be rich, to earn money, and to gain great wealth, then you are making the BIGGEST mistake and MOST miserable decision in your life. (Be sure to read, “The Single Surest Way to be Happy According to the Bible.”)
Covetous men think that if only they acquire this and that, they will surely be happy. However, when they reach their first goal, they are never satisfied. THEY WANT MORE. They have this empty hole in their hearts that they fill with the WRONG things. Rich men fill their lives with endless work and perpetual hurry. Have you noticed how they always run to and fro and always feel that 24 hours are never enough for one day?
Christ made a powerful statement so contrary to what the standards of this world. His statement stood against how this world measures success. Jesus said:
“Take Heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life DOES NOT consist in the abundance of this things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).
King Solomon came to the end of his life. After experiencing life’s great wealth and abundance, he concluded with this statement:
“Let us hear the conclusion of this whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
In the final analysis, what matter most is your relationship with God. Set your priority right. Align them according to GOD’S WILL. In the end, it is the only path to true success.
