Could I Use One Hundred Million Dollars?
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ”
If you walked up to one hundred people and asked, “how do I get rich?” Ninety-nine would answer with advice on how to make money. Having large sums of money and being rich are not synonymous. Sure, it takes a certain amount of money to be happy. You cannot be satisfied if you and the ones you love are starving. It is difficult to be satisfied when you are homeless. Yet, once you have enough money to provide for necessities and a few extras, the amount of money you possess is less relevant to one’s overall happiness.
Darius Foroux, in his article “On getting rich,” reminds us of the famous quote by Epictetus who said, “if you want to make money; do it! But your peace of mind should never depend on money.” It is peace of mind that creates lasting riches. For those who desire riches, the question is not “how much money do I need, but how do I achieve peace of mind?” Peace of mind is the way to true riches. Unfortunately, for many, peace of mind is more challenging to achieve than obtaining millions of dollars in one’s bank account.
Peace of mind is found through faith in God. God provides the spiritual support, love, and grace to allow us to overcome the world’s trials and our human fallibility. Faith nurtures our emotional intelligence to be productive individuals who properly care for those we love and those around us. One hundred million dollars, a huge mansion, a fleet of expensive cars, etc., cannot replace a family and friends who love and respect you. One hundred million dollars cannot purchase God’s redemptive gift, which frees us from the fear and fatalism of death.
Today, ask God to provide the wisdom necessary to achieve something infinitely more valuable than money. First, nurture your relationship with God, so you can receive the Spirit’s guidance, which brings you to lasting peace of mind. A mansion can be a lonely and sad place, while a small home with a leaky roof can be filled with love, life, and divine light. Then, pray for God to nurture the compassion and wisdom to become rich for the long, eternal term. That is well worth our time and energy.
