Avoid myopia

^{This week is on Psalm 49:16-20:}

 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
   when the splendor of their houses increases;
 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
   their splendor will not descend with them.
 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
   and people praise you when you prosper—
 they will join those who have gone before them,
   who will never again see the light of life.
  People who have wealth but lack understanding
   are like the beasts that perish.

It's easy to get caught up in other people's financial awesomeness, especially if they've gained their wealth unfairly.  We look at these other people, who have either never worked a day in their lives, or who exploited some loophole or shady connection, and we despise them.  Life isn't fair!  In the Psalmist's times, the wealth difference could be the difference between life and death, or the difference between being able to marry, or being someone's slave.  People blamed God.  The universe was obviously not working correctly if things ended up the way they were heading.  Wealth == God's shortsightedness.

Or sometimes people would worship the rich and famous.  If someone had more than they could possibly need, or they managed to get by in life without exerting any effort at all, they must have some cosmic secret to the universe, or some special in-road with God, right?  Look at our celebrities today for a good example of where this ends up.  People put some stranger's likeness on their wall, or their desktop wallpaper, and they gaze at them in worship.  Wealth == God's unambiguous favor.

The thing is, wealth is just wealth.  Evil people will end up with the reward they deserve, if they don't find God and repent.  Whether they are rich or poor has nothing to do with it.  A billionaire who dies without knowing God, after having used his billions to kill orphans and give cancer to puppies, is no better off than a dead dog in a ditch.  His wealth means nothing when he dies.  Same deal goes for the career "public assistance" fraudster.  When he dies, how he got his money means nothing.  What matters is who he is, and how he knows God.

Our lives are fairly short compared to how long we'll get to be around.  A life of brutish misery on earth is not very much trouble in the grand scheme of things.  We're better off living an uncomfortable life, but knowing we'll last forever, than living like a rock star and knowing it could all eternally end in an instant.  If we focus on the moment, it's hard not to envy the rock star idol.  If we focus on eternity, we see that it's less of a big deal than we thought.  Wealth == dirt.