The Obituary

(Proverbs 16:8 Message) Far better to be right and poor than to be wrong and rich

This scripture is not saying that there is something wrong with being rich or something right with being poor. This scripture is talking about one’s righteousness and not about their possessions. The fact is possessions have nothing to do with one’s righteousness. It is sin, not possessions that allure one off course.

I have spent a lifetime studying the moves, moods, and habits of others trying to discover their core differences. I have come to the conclusion that the only differences in people are their created differences which are pride, education, persuasiveness, or money.

It appears that from the time man is born he tries to be higher and better than everyone else. To strengthen his grasp for power and stardom he joins others who think and act just like him. Sectarianism is the bread that feeds this ideology as he attempts to establish the fact that he really is different and better than others.

While reading the obituaries in the newspaper the other day, I noticed that there was no distinction between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” They were all mixed together on the same page. The powerful were next to the weak. The rich were next to the poor. The doctor was next to the carpenter. The truck driver was next to the little girl. A politician was next to a grandmother.

After reading this obituary I leaned back in my chair and pondered this whole matter for a while. I thought about all the funerals that I had either officiated or attended over the years. It seemed that the attendance at the funerals of the powerful or popular were huge whereas the attendance of the poor or lowly were sparse.

The fact is the attendance at one’s funeral does not determine one’s righteousness any more than being rich or poor determines one’s righteousness.

Even though there may not be any core difference in people…God has created each one to be uniquely different. Whereas one person may use his uniqueness for his own selfish purposes in life, another person may use his uniqueness for the Lord.

One person desires to be higher, better and seen in life…another person desires to be a servant to others and to be unseen. The only difference between the two people is the one they serve. The first one jealously serves himself whereas the second one joyously serves the Lord.

Father,

I thank You for creating each one of us uniquely different and for giving us a free will to use our uniqueness. Help us Lord to always choose to serve You and the purposes of life for which we were created, regardless of our education or wealth…or the lack thereof.

Amen