Miserably Rich
“Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
It seems the richest in the world are living the reality of this Biblical truth. Clay Cockrell, a psychotherapist to the world’s richest people, wrote an article in November for The Guardian in which he described some of the issues the super rich deal with. Cockrell writes: “What could possibly be challenging about being a billionaire, you might ask. Well, what would it be like if you couldn’t trust those close to you? Or if you looked at any new person in your life with deep suspicion? I hear this from my clients all the time: ‘What do they want from me?’; or ‘How are they going to manipulate me?’; or ‘They are probably only friends with me because of my money.’” There is an emptiness to relationships when you have a certain amount of money and these concerns/worries clearly indicate a love for money.
“But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
Cockrell continues: “Then there are the struggles with purpose – the depression that sets in when you feel like you have no reason to get out of bed. Why bother going to work when the business you have built or inherited runs itself without you now? If all your necessities and much more were covered for the rest of your life – you might struggle with a lack of meaning and ambition too. My clients are often bored with life and too many times this leads to them chasing the next high – chemically or otherwise – to fill that void.”
“Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. (…) You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.” (James 5:1-3, 5)
“What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.” (Luke 6:24)
A rich man approached Jesus once and wanted to know what “good deed” he could do to enter heaven. Jesus asked him if he’d kept the commandments and the rich man said that he had. Then Jesus told him to sell all of his possessions, give the money to the poor, and then come and follow Him.
“But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!’” (Matthew 19:22-24)
Money will not buy happiness. The richest in the world can testify to that Biblical Truth. Those who have so much money they will want for nothing are still longing for something. Don’t look to money for your happiness, joy, or purpose. Those are only found in Jesus Christ.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
