The old saying, “You can’t take it with you
when you die” might very well have been inspired in part by our verses for
today. Several times in the book of Proverbs death is presented as a barrier
over which “things” can’t pass.
Wealth can do a lot of good for so many if
it is used properly. But wealth can’t buy us a relationship with God. It can’t
protect us from the consequences of rebellion against our Creator. We can’t
bribe the Judge. Money really is worthless in heaven. The LORD won’t check our
bank account balance to see if we make it. Heaven works on the currency of
righteousness.
When we have righteousness our paths will be
straight. We won’t be taking detours into sin and rebellion. Our goals will be
clear. We will have a determination to seek the LORD.
A small example might help bring this home.
If you start lying, you have to keep lying, inventing more lies to cover up the
first lie. And you have to remember your lies so that you don’t get tripped up.
The more lies, the more you have to remember. Reality is pretty easy to remember.
Lies get jumbled in the mind.
One theme of pirate stories is hidden
treasure. The pirate hides the treasure as he is running away from justice and
draws a cryptic map which is found. But you can never quite understand the map.
The one person who understands the map has died, and so have hopes of finding
the treasure.
When we operate in the realm of lies,
deception, wickedness and unfaithfulness we are saving all the wrong currency.
We can’t trust temporary things to provide permanent satisfaction. We will be
disappointed. Only things that pass through the barrier of death can truly
satisfy.
So today don’t get trapped into following
you own desires thinking they will bring satisfaction and fulfillment. They won’t.
At best they are a temporary fix. And when the hunger returns it will be even stronger.
It is like eating cardboard. The stomach might feel full, but the body is not
getting any of the nutrients it needs to be healthy. Hunger will be even
stronger as time goes on.