September 1 – Death, the Equalizer (Psalm 49)

“All can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.” (Psalm 49:10)

IN WORD:
It is one of life’s deepest mysteries. We who were created for eternity and given the capacity for eternal affections often place those affections on transient things. We are all capable of the Sinai treason: While God was speaking eternal truth to Moses on the mountain, the Israelites were in the valley worshiping a golden calf. A piece of metal. No breath, no life, no power — just an earthly material that shines. God still speaks eternal truth by His Spirit and the Word, and we still worship gold. The mysteries of life rarely change.
Perhaps “worship” seems a little harsh. We all know that having wealth isn’t the same as wealth having us. We can own it and use it without being controlled by it. But our sense of mastery over our possessions is often an illusion and always a dangerous temptation. Far too easily, our things begin to own us. We do not bow down and sing their praises, but we would bow down in grief if they were taken away from us. We’re far more attached than we think.
This wisdom psalm by the sons of Koran is right: Death is the great equalizer. Those who have wealth and those who do not will all have exactly the same amount when they breathe their last breath. We leave this world as we came into it — naked and destitute. We may have been well taken care of in our stay here, but none of our comforts last. Wealth for its own sake is only as meaningful as the dirt we’re buried in.

IN DEED:
What is our way out of this trap? Most of us do not resolve to go through this life as ascetic monks and nuns or as poor beggars. We have money and we use it often. What is the spirituality in that? We can leverage temporal wealth for eternal purposes. God has made that possible. The money that decays tomorrow can be invested in the lives that last forever. Riches and godliness can be a powerful combination. Wisdom ensures that they are.

“The use of riches is better than their possession.”
-Fernando de Rojas-