Where do you turn for security? Is it a person, a place, or a thing? Security connotes “safety, refuge, or a sanctuary.” Oftentimes, we seek security from money.
Solomon was wealthier than any other king on the planet (see 1 Kings 10:23). “The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents” (1 Kings 10:14). This is the equivalent of 49,950 pounds, or about 25 tons. Solomon’s annual income in gold alone exceeded $1.2 billion in today’s value.
All the gold, silver, and bronze in the world was not enough to satisfy Solomon’s desires: “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). His pursuit of security apart from God left him insecure.
Thankfully, Israel’s king searched elsewhere, discovering true lasting security in the wisdom of God: “Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor” (Ecclesiastes 7:12).
Too often, we buy into the empty promise that financial security will someday allow us to enjoy our wealth. Unfortunately, someday never comes because financial security doesn’t exist.
Seek Solomon’s alternative to financial security: wisdom. In every thought, feeling, choice, and prayer, pursue wisdom: God’s heart intersecting with street smarts. Commit to reading a chapter of Proverbs each day, correlating with the date of the month, for the next 365 days. You will read through the entire book each month, replicating your journey twelve times over the next year. The more you get into the Word of God, the more it will get into you, revealing the heart of Christ, the wisdom and truth of God, and the only One who can truly satisfy your desire for security.