Wealth is at times equated with greatness, eminence or prominence. It can buy diamonds. It can buy properties. It can buy almost anything that a heart can desire, but it cannot buy eternal happiness, a good night’s sleep, peace of mind, or real friends.

Wealth shared is wealth remembered, not only by peers but by God Almighty in Heaven.

“A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the property our father left us.’”

“Jesus answered, ‘Friend, who gave me the right to judge or to divide the property between you two?”

“Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed: because your true life is not made up of things you own, no matter how rich you may be.” (v.15, GNT)

“There was once a rich man who had a land which bore good crops. He began to think to himself, ‘I don’t have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.!” (v.16-19, GNT)

Jesus then concluded: “This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God’s sight.”

Money is important in life. It is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that gets many into trouble. As someone observed: “Money can buy a fine dog, but only love will make him wag his tail.” “Andrew Carnegie, the multi-millionaire, said, ‘Millionaires seldom smile.’”

President Lincoln once said: “Financial success is purely metallic. The man who gains it has four metallic attributes: gold in his palm, silver on his tongue, brass in his face, and iron in his heart.”

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.” (Matt 6:20, KJV)

As the Psalmist sang: “Wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.” (Ps 49:10, KJV)

The Psalmist continued his song thus: “Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away.” (Ps 49:16-17, KJV)