Wealth nurtures in us an intolerance of others who have not achieved at the same level.
Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked itTo the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some And we urge you, brothershelp the weak, be patient with everyoneTake a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of the brightest and the best among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses chose these nobodies to expose the hollow pretensions of the somebodies? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God (1Cor.12:22-24; 9:22; 1 Thes. 5:14; I Cor. 1:26-29 Msg.). (See Rom. 15:1; I Cor. 4:7)
Prayer: Father, deliver me from an intolerant spirit toward others. Help me to remember that whatever talents I have, were endowed by you. Grant me a heart of compassion toward those less privileged than myself.
The heady experience of financial success through business adventures is like being on steroids. That is, there is an addiction of needing to continually hit another home run to experience the rush of success one more time. Thus, I can easily derive my fulfillment not from God but from home runs.
I thought in my heart, Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is goodI wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well–the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?…So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun (Ecc. 2:1a, 3b -11,17, 18a) . (See 2 Chro. 32:27-31)
Prayer: Lord, teach me to derive my true significance not in earthly achievements, but from my relationship with you, and you alone,
This week, may you experience His grace, peace, and protection.
R. Dwight Hill