By Ralph Fudge

After John baptized Jesus, the devil tempted Him. Satan led him to the top of a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He promised to give everything to Jesus if He would only fall and worship him. But Jesus told the devil to go away and quoted the Scripture that said, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:10).

There are 735 billionaires in the U.S. as of 2023. Collectively they possess more than 4 trillion dollars ($4,000,000,000,000). Most of us cannot even imagine such wealth. However, these people have problems and struggle like the rest of us because, despite common belief, money can never buy happiness. Some of these people possess several homes in some of the choicest places in Europe and other parts of the world. Most of the very wealthy have never lacked anything their hearts might desire. However, I truly believe they are no happier, and maybe even less happy, than the average person.

When I contemplate these people, I feel very sorry for them. Many of them most probably worship their money and either do not believe in God or at best ignore Him. This brings to mind one of Jesus’ most important and pertinent quotes. The Lord said in Matthew 16:26. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, or loses his own soul?”

I do not mean to judge very rich people. There may be some of them in heaven when we get there. I knew a very kind, generous, and wealthy family when I was in college. These wealthy people used their money properly by serving the Lord. They would host my friends and me at their house for fellowship. But I know in my heart that most wealthy people worship their money. And that is the terrible sin of idolatry.

The problem with wealth is that it deceives its owners. Someone has wisely said, “We don’t own things, they own us.” And surely this is true of money. I have had the displeasure of knowing a few people who worshiped their money. And I felt very sorry for them because they never seemed to get enough of it. Someone once interviewed Andrew Carnegie and asked, “Sir, just how much money is enough income? Carnegie’s answer was, “Just a little bit more.” What a tragic attitude!

I cannot help but think of the great, lost opportunities to serve God that billionaires experience. I think of how much good they could do around the world with such a small amount of their income that they would never miss at all. For example, there are places in Africa where people must walk for miles to see a doctor. Many can never see a doctor because of distance. Many die as a result. A billionaire could build and maintain clinics in so many of these places. I realize of course that no amount of money can solve all the world’s problems or help all of the poor. But even one billionaire could make such a vast difference. But no, they seem to vie for being the world’s richest man. What a shame and pity! What a warped sense of value! What a lack of realization of their real purpose of life on Earth, which is bringing glory to God.