MANY young people have a strong desire for riches, thinking they would be very happy if only they had plenty of money to spend as they would like. They do not realize that money does not in itself bring happiness, and that the truest gain is found in “godliness with contentment.” God tells us, as we see in the verse at the head of this little article, that it is better to get wisdom than gold; but we find that many who get gold do not care for wisdom, the gold occupying their time and hearts, and thus it is loss to them and not gain. But let us remember that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.
I wish to tell you about a boy, or young man, in the distant land of Japan, who had money in his possession, and how sorrow and loss came to him through it, instead of happiness or good.
His father was a famous naval engineer, and a respectable man, having a good name. He died leaving a fortune to his wife and son. The son thought, now that he had fallen heir to much money, and would soon be able to spend it as he wished, that he would not need to make any exertions; knowledge and wisdom were not cared for by him, and so, when in school, he would not study. He associated with idle comrades and soon learned many bad ways. As another said of him, “The riches turned to be a snare and spoiled him altogether.” He was determined to have money, and if he could not obtain it by simply asking his mother for it, he would resort to lying and deception in order to get it. And when he got the money he used it to gratify the desires for pleasure, of himself and his ungodly companions.
Thus he degraded himself and fell lower and lower into the depths of wickedness.
His dear mother who was an earnest Christian, pleaded with him as to his ways, and warned him of the dreadful consequences of such a course; but all was of no avail. She tried one thing after another until she had exhausted every effort; and, while thus earnestly endeavoring to recover her wayward child, she cried to the Lord for him, and fasted before the Lord. But, as yet, her prayers were unanswered—no effect was seen in his soul.
One day she called her son into her presence and said, “Now, my child, I have brought you up in the Lord, but you will not listen to me nor to the Lord. All the property of your father belongs to you; you have right to spend it out. Go now and spend it as you please, and see if the Lord will permit it.”
The young man was very glad to have his own way and for a time did take his own course; but it was only for a time. The Lord checked him in his evil ways by sending upon him a severe illness. Death stared him in the face; eternity, with its dread realities, seemed very near. Ah! then he was sobered. The teachings of his dear mother—the things he had learned in childhood—came before him. “After death the judgment” was to him a solemn thought; he knew the destiny of an unsaved soul, and he knew that he had earned death by his wicked ways; for “The wages of sin is death.” Thus in the dead stillness of the night, as he pondered these things, the Lord spoke to him; it was the voice of the Lord to his soul, convincing him of sin. No doubt he could look back and see that the riches, from which he had expected so much happiness, had been a curse to him, and not a blessing.
But wait a moment, and hear what God in His grace, did for this poor young man; for he was poor and helpless, and defiled, although having money at his command. The mother’s prayers were about to be answered.
One day some Christians went to the house to read and pray. One of them read the twelfth chapter of Luke; when he came to verses 5, 6 and 7, the young man’s attention was arrested, and he was completely broken down, and right then and there he received the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.
Let me give you the verses that the Lord used to complete the work He had already begun in this young man’s soul. “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
God had been making him to know His power “to cast into hell,” and was leading him to fear Him; and this verse doubtless came with power to his conscience; then the grace of God in His care for His own, numbering the very hairs of their head, and putting their value far beyond that of the little sparrow, for which He cared; and His cheering word, Fear not, no doubt touched the heart of the young man.
So rejoiced was he, through the love of God that had reached his soul, that he insisted on being baptized that very day. This showed the reality of the work of God in his soul, for baptism in those heathen lands brings with it much of trial.
One in writing of him since God has thus wrought in him says, “He is altogether a new man now, and he is recovering health, too. Who can tell the joy in the heart of the dear mother? But how much more in the Father’s house above!”
Dear children, seek wisdom: “Labor not to be rich.” R.
ML 04/22/1900