Is there sense to heap material goods? (Part 1)

[Leonardo Von]

Is there sense to heap material goods? (Part 1)

•    “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” (Pro 11:24)

It comes the question: what does it mean to withhold more than is met?

•    “He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.” (Pro 11:26).

Many times, we are keeping more than is necessary, as the rich fool:

•    “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:16-19).

The problem isn’t to amass goods, but what we do with them. What are we accrue goods for?

1 – so that we can keep the problems and necessities at bay? If this is the case, see:

•    “Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!” (Isaiah 5:8); 
•    “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15);
•    Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. 
•    Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. 
•    Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! *Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity* ?” (Hab 2:5-13).

The Holy Scripture is clear: it is the gift of God that a man has power to eat of what he produced, to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour (Ecc 5:19; 1Timothy 6:17). So, even if we are able to procure and keep many things, without the Creator’s happy, we are feeble (Nehemiah 8:10).

So, have a good day don’t being afraid of any evil. Fear only to sadden Jesus’ heart (Isaiah 8:13), not only because He is our peace, love and joy, but because He is the life (John 11:25), that is to say, the One who makes our life adds up. As the psalmist said:

•    “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.” (Psa 63:3)
•    “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psa 84:10)