“Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:” A prophetic reference to Jesus Christ in Psalms 78:1-2 KJV
On a cold, dark night I went out to the street which ran along the wall of the city and there I saw her. By the street corner, with one wink of her eye, she enticed me and drew me after her. Of the huge crowd that were bidding to be her suitors, she chose only me – how lucky! I felt “the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places, I have a good fortune” … or so I thought!
Her bed was pleasant. Perfumes and costly spices, fine linen and silk, the sweetest of dreams. She took me to the highest of places and earned me friendships with the greatest. As I lay in her bosom, I wished the morning would never come. I could not imagine life without her, she had stolen my heart and totally consumed me.
As morning light filtered through the curtain, I reached out to feel her warm embrace…….in her place was emptiness, she was gone in a flash! I called out desperately in my sorrow. Where are all the pleasant things she brought me, the children she gave me in my dreams, the rich friends and pleasant places to which she brought me! Alas! Woe is me! I played the fool and pierced myself through with the sword of many sorrows.
I turned and groaned again as the rays of morning light pierced my heart like a double-edged sword. The glimmering light cut right through my heart and I awoke to wise counsel. Never fall in love with a harlot, don’t expend your energy on that unfaithful woman. Her promises are an empty and deep pit. Many have fallen therein and rode the highway to hell. No matter how much you covet after her she will always go away, for many are her lovers. Make no covenant with an immoral woman. No! Never put a claim on her, for she can never belong to you alone. Many are they who thought they had mastered her, only to find she had a way greater master.
King of kings and Lord of lords, I surrender and bow down to you. Guide me with your wise counsel so I may be received into your eternal glory. A glory that does not fade. Keep me free from the love of money and let my heart never be drawn away by it. When you give me stewardship over it and it increases in my hands, help me to know and to always submit it to your kingdom purpose. Help me to willingly share and give and earn for myself eternal treasures in heaven.
Reflection Points
- Remember the parable of the talents. Even after they had multiplied money, it still belonged to their master who had given it to them in the first place. In reality, all they gained was a greater stewardship and bigger responsibility over God’s resources. “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:8 NIV
- A brother in the Lord once said, when God gives you more money don’t celebrate, it’s not a blessing, it’s a test. God simply wants to expose your heart, whether you’re a faithful distributor of his resources or a hoarder.
- When the Lord allowed the children of Israel to spoil the Egyptians on Passover night, it was not for their own enrichment but rather “that they may serve me”. It was the borrowed silver and gold that they later used in building the tabernacle and its instruments of service. If money is not brought to the right master (God) , it will ultimately become your idol. You will serve and worship it. (Before they understood this, the children of Israel used their gold to craft and worship a golden calf).
- Solomon in his wisdom said, “The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!” Ecclesiastes 5:11 NLT. When your money multiplies it’s never for yourself alone but for others that God has given you responsibility over.