I was talking today with a client about the headlines from yesterday. Two prominent wealthy and perceived successful men had committed suicide.
Real Estate Executive Found Dead
German Billionaire Commits Suicide
He admitted that the losses in his account had been depressing and the thought had crossed his mind that he was certainly worth more dead than alive. My own husband had even made that comment in the past year as well. As believers though neither had given even a second thought to what the two gentlemen in the headlines had done.
Although the press has yet to write of the dead men's losses or bad debts I wondered how sad this must make God. God has created us in his unique image to love, to work, to encourage and to do many great things of worth on this planet. Yet these guys mistakenly measured their worth by measuring their wealth. Their hope was in the money.
And every day I talk with people or read about people whose hope is in the money. When will the stock market come back? When will the governments efforts turn around the economy? When, oh when will the money flow again? Guess what no one knows when the money will come back. Although I suspect that it will because our God is a God of order and he has set in place a time for everything. I do know from Paul's command in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 that God has more important things for us to do than sit around watching and waiting for our money to come back. From the scriptures in 1 Timothy I find several commands (not suggestions) for what we as believers should be doing while the stock market and the economy work themselves out.
- Put your hope in God who provides richly for your needs. If you find yourself depressed over the economy then perhaps you have put your hope and too much of your time into reading the news. Take out your Bible and spend some time in prayer with the God who is our hope.
- Do good. There are people hurting all around us. You don't have to leave the country on a missions trip to do good. Your mission could be the checkout lady, a neighbor, or a co-worker. Instead of seeking a way to make a buck seek instead even the smallest of ways to do good for someone today.
- Be generous. Don't believe the lie that you have to be a millionaire to be generous. Even a $5 meal could mean the world to someone today.
- Believers share your Hope. Your world is full of people like the two men that were in the headlines. People that are lonely, depressed and feel as if their problems cannot be overcome. But you know different. You know the God who has overcome the world.
Though in my profession I cannot make guarantees about peoples return on their investments I can tell you that God can. He guarantees that if you invest your life in the ways I've outlined from 1 Timothy you will not only reap the rewards in this life but lay a foundation for treasure that will last throughout eternity.
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