Money And Happyness
The Measure of Better
Proverbs 15:16-17
"Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate".
We tend to think of happiness, comfort, wealth and contentment in financial terms, but the true measure of “worth” has nothing to do with money. In fact, one could almost develop an inverse law to the effect that the more money one has, the less happiness and contentment one enjoys.
Note the frequency of such “equations” in Proverbs.
Proverbs 16:8
” Better to have little, with godliness,than to be rich and dishonest.”
Proverbs 17:1
“Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting-and conflict."Proverbs 16:19
“Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.“
Proverbs 28:6
“Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich. “.
It is therefore better to live in love and in fear for the Lord and walk upright,with righteousness and a quiet humble spirit"
This is a lesson that many affluent Christian men and women urgently need to learn today.
Note Paul’s counsel to young Timothy:
Speaking of men who are “destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness,” he warns: “ Withdraw From such people".
Then comes a very sobering commentary:
Timothy 6:5-11
These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.Paul's Final InstructionsBut you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.