Digging Deeper

If we please God, he will make us wise, understanding, and happy. But if we sin, God will make us struggle for a living, then he will give all we own to someone who pleases him. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:26 (CEV)

Do you own your possessions, or do they own you? Consider how many things you have that you could just as easily live without. Are you like the sinner described in Ecclesiastes, spending your whole life struggling for a living? (Ec 2:26) Solomon devoted much of his life to the acquisition of great riches. “I got whatever I wanted and did whatever made me happy,” he said. Yet he concluded that this was nothing but “chasing the wind”- Ec 2:10,11

Here is a brief self-assessment to help you take account of what you own, and how important these things are in your life.

• Do you have specific possessions that you would never consider giving away to anyone?
• Do you have certain possessions that are important in establishing you identity among friends and in your community?
• How do you define success? To what extent does a certain level of income or wealth enter into your definition?
• How many of your major decisions are calculated mainly by their financial value for you and your family?
• Is it easier for you to buy luxury items than it is to give money to your church, world missions, or a charity?
• Do you have any friends who could be considered poor? If not, why not?
• How do you measure self-fulfillment? How do you know when you are happy?
• How important is it for you to outdo your parents’ level of financial achievement
• Do you measure your progress in life by whether you are making more this year than last year?
• Do you think your financial success has any effect on the poor and needy in your community, or elsewhere in the world?

Where do you stand?

by Rick Phillips

(Taken from “Consider This” Word in Life Bible CEV)