10. Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. 11. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? 12. The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.
The danger of wealth that Solomon experiences is the promise of something it does not produce. The lure of money is deceiving. People desire money for they believe it will bring happiness, but it does not.
There is something within us that tells us whatever we have, we want more. Money promises satisfaction, but never produces it. Few people are actually satisfied with what they have. As soon as we acquire what we desired, the desire is not satisfied, we want something else.
Someone asked the question, “Who is wealthier the man with a million dollars or the man with 10 children?” The answer is the man with 10 children because he doesn't want any more.
Churches attract people with the desire to get richer by Biblical principles, but, if we follow the Biblical principles, we may or may not become wealthy. It is a perversion of the teaching that makes the Bible focus on material wealth.
It is heresy when people make God a means to achieve greater financial end, instead of the end being Himself. It is a false teaching that motivates you to give money into the offering plate thinking that by giving you will get richer. Rather you are to give out of your desire and love for God and for the needs of carrying on His work and witness. If you give because you want to give of yourself in this way, honoring and worshipping God without expectations of material return, that is what the Bible teaches. God blesses us out of grace, not out of our schemes of manipulating Him.
If God meant for His people to be wealthy in this world's goods, then why was Jesus poor and didn't have a place to lay His head? Why did He have to borrow coins? Why did He tell the rich young ruler to give all his money away and follow Him? Why did Peter and John tell the crippled man, "Silver and gold we have none, but such as we have you give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, stand up and walk."
Solomon added, “that the sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep" (vs. 12) There have been studies on insomnia and there is a correlation between sleep patterns of people compared to their income.
Solomon tells us to guard our desires.
Application: Examine your motives for giving and pray to God to purify Your heart.
Prayer: Purify my Heart, O God, make be as gold, pure gold. Cleanse me from within. My hearts one desire is to be Holy, set apart for You Lord.
