I HAVE MONEY TO SPEND
'...Money is the answer for everything.'
Ecclesiastes 10:9
Preachers who are overly and sometimes mildly inclined to preaching the desire for and possession of money are quick to quote Ecclesiastes 10:19. King Solomon was reminding those in possession of money or those in governance that money as it were does not only procure food and drink for feasting; but it can secure all other WORLDLY advantages. Therefore possessors of money or those in governance must be frugal not to spend all their money or the public purse on luxurious eating and drinking, bearing in mind that money IS WANTED FOR A GREAT MANY OTHER PURPOSES. The import of the verse therefore is to aggravate the sin and folly of luxury, to which, when the rich and or those in governance indulge in, they do not only neglect their business (governance or what is generating the mobey), but they also end up wasting the money which is needed to support and preserve the governed, the country and or themselves. As a result of the wasteful use of money on only luxurious eating and drinking they turn to increase taxes. Hence the happiness of the populace therefore depends on the character of its rulers. The populace cannot be happy if their leader's heap all the food at the buffet dinner although there are still many in the queue waiting to dish their meal. If the leaders are lovers of pleasure and lacks foresight to appreciate what more the public purse can be use for, then the populace suffers. This is the context within which King Solomon made that statement.
But it is true that the gospel is free but not cheap: sending the gospel according to Jesus Christ to the lost world is expensive and needs money. I spend money to send this post to Asia, South America, Europe, United States of America, Africa et cetera. I have a wide readership. But if men of God lack the knowledge and wisdom to put money to other uses than luxurious eating, drinking, dressing, apartment, cars et cetera Kingdom Business will suffer. What are you using the money in the public purse for? What are you using the money of the Kingdom Business for? Remember it answers all things.
The other side of money King Solomon dealt with is the LOVE of/for money. 'Whoever loves money NEVER HAS ENOUGH; whoever loves wealth is NEVER SATISFIED with their income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV
'...This too is meaningless.' in other renditions is: 'This is vanity. The LOVE of money and wealth, King Solomon postulates is VANITY; it is a mirage.
Money does not satisfy the coveteous possessor. Because his/her mind is insatiable. His/her desire and cravings for money increases as he/she gets more and because money by itself cannot satisfy natural desires and necessities (it is a means to an end; not an end in itself), the miserable grabber grudgingly parts with money although he/she will require necessities of life like food, shelter and clothes.
On the other hand as his/her estate increases the greater his expenses if he has to live like a rich man (generic). To maintain the purported wealthier status he/she has to make comparatively larger provisions for family, friends, and acquaintances. His cares, fears and troubles increases as his/her wealth increases. Money not spent gives him/her sleepless night as to how to safeguard it; as he has no use for it than the thought of being rich. The sight of it alone satisfies him/her. Some have gone every length to violate the WORD OF GOD through the insatiable crave for MONEY. There are bodily desires which money cannot satisfy much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. Hence in their quest for money they become spiritual white sepulchres. They die only to realise that LOVE of money and the crave to do anything to have it is a goose chase. Emptiness, regret and sickening soul is the end result.
Hence MONEY answers all things but the insatiable crave for MONEY leaves the governed and the governor unhappy. It equally leaves the misguided man of God and the congregation unhappy ans misled.
Bro Ritchie Edukwesi WOANYA
