You may have heard about bandits who waved guns in their victim’s face, demanding: “Your money or your life!” Today, this legendary demand is echoed in a challenging dilemma facing all of us—especially those of us living in affluent lands. This time, however, it is no bandit that presses the demand. Rather, it is the increased emphasis that society places on money and material success.
Granted, money has power. It can buy fine homes, elegant wardrobes, and dazzling furnishings. It may also buy adulation, compliance, or flattery, even producing a few temporary and obliging friends. But that is about as far as the power of money goes. What we need most, money cannot buy—the love of one true human friend, peace of mind, a crumb of heartfelt solace in the hour of death. And for those who cherish their relationship with the Creator, money cannot buy God’s approval.