Wealth & Prosperity

I have read the biographies of dozens of rich and famous people worldwide, who did not have faith in God, and I discovered that their lives ended in misery and disgrace. Where are they now? Where is the wealth and treasure that they accumulated? Where are the palaces and mansions that they built?

It has all come to an end. Some of them committed suicide, others were killed, some were imprisoned and the rest were arrested and taken to court for their sins, crimes, foul play and mischief. They became the most miserable of people, when they imagined that their wealth could buy them everything – happiness, love, health and youth – then they found out real happiness, real love, perfect health and real youth cannot be bought with money.

Yes, they could buy imaginary happiness, false love and health in the marketplace, but all the wealth in the world cannot buy a heart, generate love or create joy.

There are people who spend their youth and health to accumulate wealth, then they spend the rest of their lives spending all that they have acquired in an attempt to buy happiness, but all they get is misery. Or they try to reclaim their youth, but old age overtakes them. Or they try to get their health back, but incurable disease overtakes them.

Please don't misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with making money. In our country, people are free to pursue wealth. And for that matter, some of God’s choice people enjoyed great wealth: for instance, Abraham and King Solomon. Many people think that “money is the root of all evil” but to my simple mind it is actually “the love of money which is the root of all evil”.

So, what really is the distinction between wealth and prosperity?

Wealth is a mere accumulation of money and treasure. Prosperity, however, is when blessings flow. We prosper when we have money, or sometimes when money is scarce! We also prosper when our lives flourish in love, security, family, self-worth and a peace that passes understanding.

Nowadays many of us are obsessed with material wealth. And material wealth is not in itself a bad thing; in fact, it can be a good thing when it comes with the full-orbed understanding of God’s blessing. This understanding of wealth includes wholeness of spirit, soundness of mind, and generosity of heart and is grounded on an authentic love relationship with God Himself.

The abundance for which the human heart longs will never be experienced by emitting thoughts into the Universe in hopes they bounce back with a new BMW, as wonderful as a new BMW might seem. I have always believed that a meaning-filled life means we walk in conformity with the purpose for which we were made.