"Gold Gone Wild"

Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 As a young man and then as a man in middle age, Solomon pursued all manner of things to mind-numbing excess . . . (1 Kings 10:14 - 24) Today we're going to drill down on one particular issue that Solomon wrestled with—we're going to talk about "Gold Gone Wild." 1) Myths About Money (vv. 10-17) There are a lot of myths about money out there today—assumptions that people make about wealth. But there's nothing new about any of these myths. And if anyone was ever qualified to expose these myths, it was Solomon. (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17) The Myth of Conditional Contentment (v. 10)  "If I can get ________, I'll be happy" or "If I just had _________, I'd be happy." The problem is that when you do get ________, then you begin thinking about something even greater or bigger or more expensive. (1 Timothy 6:9-10) The Myth of Simplicity (v. 11) The next myth concerns the idea that more money brings enjoyment without additional life complexity. But it doesn't work that way! (Psalm 62:10) The Myth of Rest (v. 12) Another myth is that wealth allows one to take life easy and get plenty of rest. The Bible tells us that those who labor in God's strength for God's glory first and foremost and enjoy God's blessings that he has provided . . . typically also enjoy a good night's rest.  The Myth of Accumulation (vv. 13-15) Here's one of the really big myths—hoarding leads to happiness. It's the problem of collecting more and more for yourself without considering others. So what is the Biblical solution to the problem of unchecked accumulation? Generosity. 2) Wisdom About Wealth (vv. 18-20) At the end of the day, Solomon determined that the answer for gold gone wild is simplicity and perspective . . . he walked it all back to three things: joy, gratitude, and peace. (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20) Remember, there are untold numbers of wealthy people in our world today who would give everything they have for these three simplicities—joy, gratitude, and peace.