“Better a poor and wise youth, than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.” (v.1)
Here Solomon is speaking of himself. Like many of us, as a child Solomon sought after God, but later in life got his eyes off the LORD. He now is looking back near the end of his life and realizing the foolishness of his ways as king. Wealth, power, no longer matter, as he realizes people will soon admonish another after he is gone.
No matter how successful you are, when you step down, retire, or pass away, life will go on. Someone else will step into your position and do the work (eventually stepping down, retiring, or passing themselves). And with that; title, position, wealth, and influence, will pass as well.
The mature believer does not hold tightly to material things, but walks in the truth that, one life will soon be past, and only what’s done for Christ will last. He lives in the reality of his own mortality and adopts a biblical perspective on God and eternity. He realizes there is no eternal value in the accumulation of wealth, nice homes or expensive cars, as these are only fuel for the great fire (2 Pet. 3:10-12; Rev. 21:1). This does not mean the believer cannot enjoy wealth if God gives it; he certainly can (Eccl. 3:12-13; 5:19-20; 9:9). But the mature believer, lays up his reward in heaven.
The Truth: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
Here Solomon is speaking of himself. Like many of us, as a child Solomon sought after God, but later in life got his eyes off the LORD. He now is looking back near the end of his life and realizing the foolishness of his ways as king. Wealth, power, no longer matter, as he realizes people will soon admonish another after he is gone.
No matter how successful you are, when you step down, retire, or pass away, life will go on. Someone else will step into your position and do the work (eventually stepping down, retiring, or passing themselves). And with that; title, position, wealth, and influence, will pass as well.
The mature believer does not hold tightly to material things, but walks in the truth that, one life will soon be past, and only what’s done for Christ will last. He lives in the reality of his own mortality and adopts a biblical perspective on God and eternity. He realizes there is no eternal value in the accumulation of wealth, nice homes or expensive cars, as these are only fuel for the great fire (2 Pet. 3:10-12; Rev. 21:1). This does not mean the believer cannot enjoy wealth if God gives it; he certainly can (Eccl. 3:12-13; 5:19-20; 9:9). But the mature believer, lays up his reward in heaven.
The Truth: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
