"I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn."
The Key to Prosperity
Many young people fantasize about the possibility of becoming a sports star. And little wonder. According to one source, Michael Jordan earns more than $300,000 a game (that's $10,000 a minute, assuming he averages 30 minutes per game). In December 1998, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed pitcher Kevin Brown to a $105-million contract. With those kinds of dollars being spent on athletes, prosperity for them seems like a sure thing.
Yet the true secret to affluence doesn't lie in landing a lucrative sports contract. Solomon's father, David, knew that real prosperity comes from being obedient to the Lord. Unlike those who seek only the benefit of financial gain, David assured Solomon that obeying God would result in prosperity in "all that you do and wherever you turn."
Although we may legitimately question whether any athlete is worth the kind of money mentioned, there is certainly nothing wrong with material abundance. But we must recognize that it counts for little when compared to spiritual prosperity and the well-being of those we love. Mere dollars and cents cannot turn back the hands of time or restore the ravages of loose living. It is especially in these important areas of life that living according to God's Word pays the greatest dividends.
Don't be lulled into thinking that prosperity is based on a bank account. Jesus said, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). Where do you find your prosperity? Is it in the temporal, the financial, the pleasurable? Make sure your prosperity is built on your walk with God rather than on your wealth in this world.
The key to real prosperity is found in God, not in gold.