You’d still be poor if…
What if you owned a Hawaiian island? This week Carolyn and I got to visit the Hawaiian Island of Lanai. It’s the sixth-largest Hawaiian Island. It is 98% owned by one person.
That person is Larry Ellison. He’s currently the 5th wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine.
Kind of impressive, huh?
But here’s the interesting thing that Jesus said about being wealthy:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 KJV)
What was Jesus saying? He was saying that without salvation, you are a pauper, even if you owned a Hawaiian island.
I don’t know anything about Ellison’s spiritual life, but I do know that with Jesus he would be eternally wealthy. Without Jesus, he would be a poor man.
It’s the same for everyone.
And what is more important, being financially rich, or being spiritually well off? That’s an easy one, for as Zig Ziglar used to say, “You’re going to be dead a lot longer than you are alive!”
Here is what the psalmist wrote about this: “For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.” Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.” Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (Psalm 90:4, 10, 12 NLT)
We’re here for just a little while, and then we give a report. The psalmist wrote about this also:
“We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you— our secret sins—and you see them all.” (Psalm 90:7&8 NLT)
So what if you owned a Hawaiian island? It really means nothing. In fact, wealth brings plenty of issues such as:
Fears of theft
Fears of kidnapping
Lots of people asking for help
Temptations to pride and self-righteousness
I’m not knocking wealth—many great biblical and historical people have been wealthy. The problem is financial wealth without salvation.
So earn as much money as you can. I think it would be great if you owned a Hawaiian Island.
But don’t miss out on what is most important!
To receive eternal salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord click HERE.
For more help on this topic, see these resources on my website: