Pam Padgett - teacher
A few days ago my elderly neighbor asked me to take him to a doctor
appointment. When we got back to his house I took some clean laundry upstairs for
him. Before leaving I asked if he needed anything else. He replied "A million dollars."
Without thinking, what came out of my mouth (by the Holy Spirit) was "What good would a million dollars do you?"
This immediately stopped him, like waking him up to the foolishness of what he had said, at least for a minute. He replied that it wouldn't help him.
This neighbor is not born again. He is 83 years old and is in poor health, having many physical problems
including cancer and heart trouble. Money cannot change his physical (nor spiritual) condition. And he has everything he needs physically on this earth ... plenty of food, clothing, shelter.
Yet what was in his heart was
wanting a million dollars, for this is what came out of his mouth.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil
treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the
abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45
Later that night I was reminded of the following ...
Luke 12:15 And he (Jesus) said unto them, Take heed,
and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable
unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth
plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do,
because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This
will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I
bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul,
thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,
drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be
required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast
provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not
rich toward God.