The True Meaning of Wealth: A Gospel Reflection

Greetings everyone in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We are back with another source of life — the Word of God. Today, we dive into the deep and powerful truth spoken by King Solomon, the richest and wisest king to ever live. Our focus? Vanity.  

Solomon’s Warning: Everything Without God is Vanity  

In Ecclesiastes 1:2-4, King Solomon, the man whose wealth and wisdom came directly from God, declares:  

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever." 

Solomon, despite his riches and honor, understood that without God, all earthly pursuits — including wealth, status, and pleasure — are meaningless and fleeting. The secular world interprets vanity as emptiness, but spiritually, it reveals the futility of seeking riches without divine purpose.  

Jesus Confirms: Not All Wealth Has Heavenly Value

Jesus Himself referred to Solomon in Matthew 6:29, saying, “Yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ”Even the splendor of Solomon, with all his possessions, pales in comparison to God’s true glory.  

Likewise, in Matthew 19:21-22, Jesus speaks to a rich young man:  

If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  

The young man walked away sorrowful, unwilling to part with his great possessions. His riches, though abundant, lacked eternal treasure.  

The Distinction Between Wealth and Riches  

While the world attaches monetary value to possessions, God attaches spiritual significance. Some possessions are wealth — used for God’s kingdom — while others are mere riches, vanity with no heavenly worth.  

Wealth serves God and others selflessly. Riches serve only oneself.

Solomon’s message teaches us:  

- Wealth is a heavenly blessing, bringing inheritance and lasting impact (Proverbs 13:22).  

- Riches without righteousness serve no purpose beyond this life.  

The Eternal Choice: Vanity or Treasure in Heaven 

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Abraham, a wealthy man in God’s eyes, stands in contrast to the rich man who neglected others.  

Satan can manipulate riches, but true wealth remains untouched by evil and lasts eternally. Many people are financially rich but spiritually poor. Others may lack earthly riches but are wealthy in God’s kingdom. 

If we oppress the poor for personal gain, we become poor in spirit, while the oppressed become rich in God’s eyes.  

Pray not for earthly riches, but for godly wealth that serves His kingdom and secures treasure in heaven!