The fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:10-12)
In the gospel of Luke, Messiah warns us that we should “beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). After saying this, He taught the parable of the foolish rich man. The rich man was prompted by his abundance to build greater barns in order to expand his wealth so that he could “eat, drink and be merry” (Luke 12:19). Unfortunately for him, that very night his soul was required of him and the Lord posed this question to him: “Then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12:20). In other words, all that he had built for himself was left for others to enjoy, and perhaps squander into oblivion. In the end, what good was accomplished?
Throughout history, those the world considered great and powerful, rich and mighty, built their businesses, their industries and kingdoms, ignorantly thinking that “their houses would last forever.” Nebuchadnezzar relished in the city he built up to unprecedented glory; today is it uninhabited and predominately a mound of ruins. The same can be said for the achievements of Alexander and the Greeks, as well as the Caesars and Rome. Sure, there are remnants and artifacts that testify of their former splendor, but the point is, nothing that man erects will last forever; it will eventually turn to dust, and so, what should our primary efforts be focused upon?
In short, it never pays to spend all our energy on building our own kingdom; there is only one kingdom that deserves our energy and effort and that is the Kingdom of God. In fact, all those things men need to live, and sometimes even some things we desire, are given to us when we put the Kingdom of God first in our lives. And so we are reminded that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1). Let us not be the foolish and senseless person who spends all their energy on building up something that in time will be torn down by another; rather let us focus on advancing a Kingdom that cannot be shaken and that is ordained to endure for all eternity. And in so doing, may we all be fortunate enough to hear Him say, “Well done.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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