Delusional

Ecclesiates 4

I must admit that this one of my favorite books. Today's reading is an example of why that is:

"Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind." (v6)

Here is someone refusing to be fooled by the deception of wealth. He redefines "achievement". He values incorruptible things. He recognizes wordly gods and calls them wind.

1 Timothy 6

"But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction." (v8-9)

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, " (v17-18)

Some days are more thematically connected than others (at least in appearances). Often, as Americans, we take Jesus' warnings about money as a challenge. Jesus says it's hard for the rich to enter the kingdom - well, I'll have to be really mindful of that as I get rich. I like a challenge aynway, right? What we read here, though, is harder to swallow. I'm not going to get on a soapbox. I'll just let the text be what it is.