“As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before Him, and asked, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to be saved?’” Mark 10:17. Jesus eventually told him to sell all he had and give to the poor—“and the man went away sad, because he had many possessions”v.22. And JesusContinue reading “CAMELS. Mark 10:17-25.”
Category Archives: Money/Riches
WHY IS THE BIBLE FILLED WITH RICHES? Esther 1:4; Luke 11:31.
People are poor. Many struggle to feed their children. Yet the Bible—a story about God’s compassion for the least of these—is filled with tales of the greatest among us. We meet Egypt’s pharaohs. Then God’s kings: Saul, David, and Solomon. Solomon builds a temple covered in gold. The nation splits. Nineteen of history’s richest menContinue reading “WHY IS THE BIBLE FILLED WITH RICHES? Esther 1:4; Luke 11:31.”
1 (800) TAX-1040: CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HOLD MUSIC. Isaiah 31:17.
Yesterday I spent 45 minutes on hold, waiting for a customer service representative to pick up my call to the IRS. Finally a man answered, told me his name and agent number, and then we were disconnected. Though I did not want to, I called back. After a 30-minute wait, a woman answered and sheContinue reading “1 (800) TAX-1040: CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HOLD MUSIC. Isaiah 31:17.”
Warning! There are Risks to Success.
Success comes with great risks. David would never have gotten in trouble with Bathsheba were he not the king. All of Solomon’s failures were tied to his royal crown. Many great people end up famous for great failures: Ken Lay, Richard Nixon, Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer. “When Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power,Continue reading “Warning! There are Risks to Success.”
The Stress of Being Rich.
Saturday Twila said, “When I see places like this, I just think that inside these houses are all these rich people, just living their rich, happy lives, without any problems.” I mentioned an old cliché: Sometimes when you are wealthy, “you no longer own your stuff, but your stuff owns you.” Do you understand that?Continue reading “The Stress of Being Rich.”
Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin.
Preparing for my father’s “Celebration of Life” service gave me a lot of time to reflect on his long and active life. But one truth came to me after the work was done and the service concluded: Grandpa was successful because he DID NOT SPREAD HIMSELF TOO THIN. He flew radio-controlled planes rather than earnContinue reading “Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin.”
The Rich Man.
The news is filled with the rich because the non-rich are intrigued by them. Whether it is the Hebrew shepherd who wants to hear all about King Solomon, or today’s housewife watching documentaries about Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, “regular” people remain fascinated by rich people. But what good are riches, really? Wealth affords food,Continue reading “The Rich Man.”
Wealth ≠ Credibility.
If a famous person endorses a product, we are more likely to buy it. If a movie star talks about recycling, we are more likely to start sorting our trash. This is even true with people like Paris Hilton and the Kardashians—celebrities who are famous for what? For nothing. They are famous for being famous,Continue reading “Wealth ≠ Credibility.”
Dad's Daily Devotional 