Bible and AbundanceSample

ABUNDANCE - MONEY AND HAPPINESS

Let's face it. Having money is much more fun than having no money. Logical. But does abundance always bring joy and fulfilment in life? Not always.

Folkert de Jong is a highly sought-after contemporary sculptor. His pieces sell quickly to wealthy collectors and are very popular. He explained, "You make something in your studio, and suddenly it is worth €40,000 or even more." His ever-growing bank balance was driving him crazy. "Suddenly, there were secretaries, assistants and dealers; it became more and more commercial. There were exhibitions, and I had to produce more and more. It was like I became another person, driven by money and power." Eventually, he became a victim of stress and ongoing conflict with business friends who turned out not to be friends at all. This led to his bankruptcy, leaving him with half a million euros in debt. "I knew I had to go back to basics, back to myself ... I was making the best work when I had no prospects at all!"

Money management is a big challenge, whether you have a lot or a little. Many people are always after it: the government, banks, suppliers, friends, and family.

Solomon, the author of our text above, was very rich. He knew that true fulfilment and joy could not be found in an abundance of money. Many people also wanted to benefit from some of his wealth. Social scientists have found that people who win large sums of money in a lottery or the like are likelier to go bankrupt than others, are often not happier for it and face destructive greed from people who claim a 'piece of the pie'.

Billy Graham said, "If someone gets their attitude towards money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other part of their life."

CHALLENGE

Suppose your income were to treble. Describe what lifestyle you would then want to adopt and how you would overcome the temptations this would bring.