Is Money The Answer?

A few days ago, Gina Rinehart made it to the top of the list.  The 58 year old heiress to a huge Australian mining business is now the richest woman in the world.  How rich, you ask?  Try to wrap your mind around these numbers.  Last year, Gina Rinehart’s wealth grew by 19 billion dollars.  That’s an impressive number by any estimation.  But it becomes even more mind-boggling when you break that one large number down.  Nineteen billion dollars a year breaks down into approximately 52 million dollars A DAY.  Or 2 million dollars AN HOUR.  Or 36,000 dollars A MINUTE.  Or 582 dollars A SECOND.  Incredible!

Apparently, though, that kind of money doesn’t solve all of life’s problems.  Three of Ms. Rinehart’s four children have brought legal action against her over the vesting of a trust fund associated with some of the family wealth.  The youngest child, who has taken her mother’s side in the family feud, has criticized her siblings publicly for damaging the family’s good name.  Some have been critical of how Ms. Rinehart HAS spent some of her billions.  Others have been just as critical of how she HASN’T spent some of her billions.  I guess wealth isn’t a cure-all after all.

If you are tempted to believe that wealth will always make things better, think again.  Consider this example from the life of the world’s richest woman.  Wealth can solve some problems.  But it can also create problems or make existing problems worse.  Money can’t buy family harmony.  Riches can’t guarantee that everyone will approve of  you or your decisions.

But what really matters for me is, not how Gina Rinehart handles her wealth, but how I handle MY wealth.  Most of the world would be just as incredulous at my per second income as I am by Ms. Rinehart’s per second income.  Before I can shake my head at the problems wealth has caused for Gina Rinehart, I must be honest enough to admit my own struggles.  Father, please help ME not to trust in riches (Proverbs 11:28).

God loves you!

Mike