GN Commentary: November 18, 2008 - More Important Than Money?

Is there anything in life more important than money?

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Video Transcript

I can't bring myself to open them! No, I just can't! Those nasty little envelopes, telling me how much money I no longer have in my retirement account. I can't bear it!

So what do you do with those statements? Many of us have lost money over the last year and a half, and we may feel we really didn't have enough of it in the first place. The International Monetary Fund has forecast total losses from the credit contraction of $945 billion, while others estimate total losses to the banking system at as much as 1.6 trillion dollars. How much is 1.6 trillion dollars? I'm no economist, but I do know that's a whole lot of money! Youch!

But is there anything in life more important than money? I'd like to take you back to the writings of a man some 2,900 years ago. This man had it all—money, fame, women, luxury. And yet he suggested there are some things in life that are much more important than money.

In case you hadn't guessed, I'm speaking of King Solomon of Israel, one of the wealthiest people in the ancient world. Solomon wrote many of the biblical Proverbs. What did he have to say about money?

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches" (Proverbs 22:1). Your name and reputation are more important than wealth. Why? Because you lose your self-respect—and the respect of others—if your reputation is ever lost! Some people are rich, but despised; think of drug barons, corrupt politicians and Internet fraudsters. These people are wealthy, but not one loves them.

Wise King Solomon also wrote "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted calf with hatred" (Proverb 15:16-17). We can be better off less wealthy, and living in peace with our God and our family than rich and miserable.

My work sometimes takes me to other nations, to visit people who have a lot less than most of us in North America. Oh, but how much fun it can be to visit and spend time with those people! Their enjoyment of family, friendship and community often outstrips ours. Maybe they have something to teach us, as we all go through these difficult economic times.

And maybe it's time for us to begin to rely on the One who can give us that sense of comfort and security—even when we can't bear to open those envelopes!

For GN Magazine, I'm Ralph Levy.