I'll say upfront that I love the Bible. I love the way it tells the story, weaving it through countless other smaller stories, each of which points to the one grand story. The Bible teaches us about ourselves, about God and God's Kingdom. It reveals things to us about humanity that we know to be true in the depths of our souls. It reminds us about things that we all long for in the depths of our souls, longings that are evidence that we are created to inhabit a world beyond this one.
In this story, the king is thought to be the most powerful person in it. Who is more powerful than the king? And yet does this power bring him peace? Does it bring ease? No -- all of his money and all of his power cannot bring an easy night's sleep, while a man he has thrown into a den of lions will rest easy because the power of God is with him.
We see it written across the headlines of newspapers time and time again -- money, fame, and power do not bring the ease we would think it does. Worldly riches are not often associated with peace. There are greater riches, beyond what money can buy, that can secure true peace. Only God can grant this peace, but if we spend our lives striving for the worldly kind, we can easily miss the riches and peace God wants to offer us.
So let be careful how we dream. Money and fame can be very useful tools in the hands of those who are wise enough to see them for what they are and surround themselves with people who will hold them accountable. Let us ensure we are setting our hopes on the riches that God alone can give, recognizing all other kinds as merely tools to be used to spread the Good News of God's true wealth.
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