Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:9
“The greed for gold often drags men down to destruction. Addressing the Harvard Chapel, Francis Peabody related Ruskin’s story of a man who attempted to swim to safety from a wrecked ship, with a belt containing two hundred pounds of gold tied to his waist. He could not leave the gold behind, nor could he make it to shore with his gold. They were inseparable. With it, he went down. Ruskin asked this question, “As he was sinking, had he the gold or had the gold had him.”
Charles A. Trentham quoting Francis Peabody in Studies in Timothy (Nashville: Convention Press, 1959) 74.
This fascinating story challenges all of us to ask ourselves is there anything apart from Christ that we deem as “inseparable” because whatever that is could lead to our demise.
I am serious here. Because we will let go of everything when we die, are we prepared to let go of everything now whilst we are living? Whatever we think you own, owns us.
Like the gold claimed Ruskin, what might try to claim you? I am enjoying doing research to prepare for upcoming talks and this story really caught my attention.
We must not let anything drag us down. We can’t take wealth with us to heaven, but we can send it on ahead of us through generous giving and sharing while we are living.