But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:6)
Many people spend countless hours dreaming of winning the lottery, thinking that if they just had more money (or lots more money) everything would be “picture perfect.” Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. A study done by Milwaukee Magazine found that “winning the lottery is supposed to be a ticket to paradise. But many winners fall into an inferno of debt, divorce and drunkenness.” You see, what many thought would be a dream come true turned into a nightmare of family squabbling, get-rich-quick schemes, “long-lost-relatives” begging for cash, inundation by scam artists, dreaded IRS visits, and more. Asked if they would like to win the lottery again, most former lottery winners firmly responded, “Definitely not!”
Unfortunately, many people, even Christians, measure the meaning of life by all the wrong things—possessions, assets, bank accounts, retirement plans, etc. In our Scripture passage, however, Paul measured life in a completely different way. He stated that life is not measured by the sum total of your accumulations but rather by the sum total of your relationship with God.
We brought nothing with us into the world. And, in the end, the only thing we will take out of this world is what we have stored up in Christ Jesus. So where are your riches found? Where are you storing up your treasures?
Begin making deposits into your relationship with God today.
Mark J. Musser is a pastor at Trinity Wesleyan Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He lives with his wife and teenage son.
