idiot medicine

Proverbs 23:4

“Do not toil to acquire wealth, be discerning enough to desist.”

Wait. What?

Not sure the life you live, but mine costs money

I believe this proverb nudges us away from the pursuit of wealth as an end

It can be tricky for sure

Threading the needle of needing money but not toiling to just acquire it

That’s probably why “be discerning” is added as the left hook to counter that right jab

Maybe wealth is like happiness…if you pursue it, you are always chasing, never capturing

Hints of Ecclessiastes

“Happiness is found not in the pursuit of happiness, but in the fulfillment of responsibility.”

Counter-intuitive.

Like Jiu-Jitsu.

Like a Chiropractor…headache? let’s press on your palm below your thumb to fix that

If happiness is discovered while pursuing something else, maybe its also true of wealth

Ignoring trying to define wealth (in a World dominated by global poverty)…

What if wealth is discovered while pursuing passion

Or pursuing a calling God put on our hearts

Or found solving a problem, seizing an opportunity or meeting a need that blesses others

If we do that for that…perpetual frustration

If we do this and find we also get that as an added bonus along the way…enjoy it, be crazy generous and steward it well to the Glory of God.

Grindforth!

Quote I’m pondering:

“Vocation / Calling / Purpose can be found where your deep gladness and the World’s deep hunger, collide.”

(Paraphrased)

Fredrick Buechner