Psalm 49

1 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!
2 High and low, rich and poor—listen!
3 For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
5 Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me?
6 They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.
8 Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough
9 to live forever and never see the grave.
10 Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.
11 The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves,
12 but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.
13 This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise.
Interlude

14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates.
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.
Interlude

16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success.
19 But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.

I once had a wealthy uncle. I recall he was asked what he wanted to happen to his fortune when he died...a rather impudent question I think.

His answer was "you can throw it all in the river for all I care." I'm sure he was serious. Jim understood something that many of us never really figure out...you can't take it with you. Oh, we know it intellectually, but our heart doesn't believe it. We live as though we don't believe it. We hoard our wealth...we flaunt it...we make it into something that God never intended it to be.

Reminds me of a story. You may have heard it...

Three wealthy businessmen were close friends. One was on his deathbed. He called his friends to his side and said "I'm dying. I know they say you can't take it with you, but I'm going to try. I want each of you to take one of these briefcases with a million dollars in it and place it in my casket at my funeral. I'm going to enter the next life as a wealthy man!".

The friends dutifully obeyed. At the funeral they each placed their briefcase in the casket. After the funeral they began discussing the ordeal.

"I feel real guilty" said the first friend. "I was a little strapped for cash so I took some money out of the briefcase. I hope our friend will forgive me when he sees he is $200 thousand short."
The other friend pondered this development and said "I wouldn't beat yourself up. We were all very good friends. I'm sure he will forgive you...if his scheme actually works."

"As a matter of fact", he continued, "I sort of did the same thing. I had a big note come due to the bank and I didn't have the funds. I took $500 thousand out of the briefcase."

"Well, we're both thieves then" said the first friend.

"Oh, no!" was the reply. "I slipped a check into the briefcase for the full $500 thousand".

And you know, we really are that foolish. Our psalmist says "they trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave."

Sobering words..."They may name their estates after themselves, but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals".

Of course, we need to understand that God is not condemning riches. We have many people of faith who are uncommonly wealthy. I believe the danger we face is that we begin thinking our wealth can do more than it really can. Sometimes it can't even get us the best table at the restaurant because the place is full. And...with a self-entitled snort, we leave in a huff.

You see...wealth can turn us into things we never imagined. The one thing it cannot turn us into is beneficiaries of God's Kingdom.

So, wealthy people are not special people. They are not more loved by God. Wealth is actually a gift God gives...and I imagine it can be a burden...like any other possession. You see, God does not endow us with gifts so we can squander them on ourselves. God expects us to invest those gifts to further His kingdom.

Sometimes when I ponder the intoxicating allure of wealth, I'm thankful God did not give me that burden. I'm pretty certain I would mishandle it. So, along with all the other "poor folks" I'll recall the refrain from this psalm..."But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the grave"...and be content.

Live boldly out there today...