Soul over Success - Day 61 Month 3-2 Week 9-5

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)

Exodus 37:1-38:20 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2037%3A1-38%3A20&version=NASB1995

Psalm 50 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2050&version=NASB1995

Mark 8:27-9:13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%208%3A27%20-%209%3A13&version=NASB1995


Soul over Success


I have at times dreamed of being excessively wealthy.  I have also occasionally dreamed of holding a powerful political office.  With wealth and power, I could do so much good.  Imagine how extreme wealth could maybe eliminate homelessness, or high political office could do so much good for others by ensuring people are treated with equality.


All of this dreaming of doing good is easily tainted.  With excessive wealth comes the risk of using it for my own gain.  Political power comes with the risk of using it for the wrong purposes.  It starts with small things.  Rather than driving the Toyota that I need, I’d maybe drive the Lexus that I want.  It’s not a big deal because I have the wealth to carry it.  My 2 bedroom house is a little small for the people that we’d need to entertain, so maybe we need a larger house.  To keep the staff required to maintain my wealth, I’d need an office, or maybe put an office addition on the house.  To look after my role as a powerful politician, I’d need to appease the wealthy as well so as to stay in office.  I wouldn’t go too overboard but I would ensure the business people are happy with me so I’d be sure to provide some really good tax incentives for the wealthy.  You see, if the wealthy are happy, they can also contribute to the good that I’m aiming for.  Because of all these important things I am responsible for, my wife may not be very happy that I’m seldom home but I’ll make sure she has no worries, and a Lexus, so she can spend more time with her friends.  I know we have a dog but he’ll be at doggy daycare every day to hang out with his doggy friends.  


Eventually, I will gain favour throughout the world and I can have everything I want.  The 10% of my fortune that I use on my homeless elimination goals would look after many of the homeless and people would say what great things I am doing.  I’d be able to move towards equality for most as long as it doesn’t make the wealthy feel less important and powerful.  I have successfully turned my marriage and life into an empty shell and I certainly would not have time to spend with Jesus every day like I am now.


Jesus says in Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”  If my dream to become wealthy and powerful becomes reality, I run the risk of falling into the trap of needing more and more and not accomplishing my original stated hopes -  but hey, I have gained the world.


Without wealth and power, I may not be able to help all people in need, but we can provide, in Jesus name,  Tim Hortons cards for those who are housing challenged who need a welcome cuppa java.  We can offer our home for hospitality opportunities, provisions we may have for those in need, encouraging conversations for those who need someone who cares. Hopefully through what we have been given by God, both tangible and intangible, we may be able to show the love and care of Jesus for others..  Maybe it could be an introduction to others to Jesus for the first time.  This is an example of “setting your mind on God’s interests (Mark 8:33).”  


Thankfully, some of the world's rich, such as Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, are turning their riches into philanthropy or are leaving most of their wealth to philanthropic causes.  That is an honourable use of riches; however, even for them, if they do not turn their eyes to the one who will give them an eternal home, it’s all for naught.  At least they are doing good in their earthly life.


Have a great day!

Steve


You can subscribe to this blog and receive an email each day or week.  Just visit the following link. https://follow.it/my-faith-view-from-here-daily-readings-and-thoughts?leanpub

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 15 - Week 3 Day1 Let Your Heart Rest

Today's reading Genesis 24:61 - End of 25 Psalms 14 Isaiah 12 - 13:5 Matthew 11 Thought for today (sorry but this is heavy) Today my heart is heavy.  I couldn't sleep well.  I figured that I may as well get up and do my morning reading and blog post.  So much is going on this world!  So much death.  So much war.  I long for what we read about yesterday of the eventual peace that will be in God's Kingdom.  In Psalm 14 from today's reading, we read "The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."  They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good...They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. "  This is a Psalm of David, Israel's great king who God describes as a man after His own heart.  I think it's because David always wore his heart on his sleeve.  He was real and you see it in the Psalms he wrote.   My heart is heavy because...
Read more

Day 25 Week 4 Day 4 Green Pastures

Today's reading (Bible in 1 year) Genesis 36 Psalm 23 Isaiah 22:1-14 Matthew 17 Last evening, my wife, Sylvia, read a statement to me from a bishop in the Episcopalian church in New Hampshire.  He advised his Episcopal clergy to get their affairs and wills in order "because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable".  Sometimes, peacemaking puts one in the place where death is a possibility in the protection of the most vulnerable.  It's an ominous thing to think about. Today we read Psalm 23.  What a powerful Psalm to read in it's fullness but hopefully you just read it and I'll simply mention verse 4 where it says " Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me " Did you hear that?   You are with me! On November 16, 2025 my mom passed away and went to be with Jesus, 2 days before her 98th birthday.  My mo...
Read more

Day 20 - Week 3 Day 6 The Rock

Today's reading (Bible in 1 Year) - If you have not read my introduction or blog from the beginning, I felt a strong motivation to read the whole Bible in a year and discover something new each day to share. Genesis 30:25 - end of 30 Psalm 18 Isaiah 17 Matthew 13:44 - end of 13 Thought for the day We have rocks!  We live on a rocky shore and our whole property is full of rocks.  You can't dig down more than 6" anywhere on our property and not find a rock.  It's very frustrating when you're trying to dig a garden or plant a tree.  Interesting though, they shift.  Every spring, my mower finds new rock locations.  During the winter freeze and thaw and freeze and thaw and freeze and thaw (that's how it is here), the rocks in the ground shift again and again.   There is one rock on our property that does not shift!  At the shore we have a lava rock outcropping.  It's goes out about 20 ft and and at high tide, you can touch the water from it. ...
Read more