Where are your Riches?

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. (Proverbs 13:7)

A preacher was making evangelism visits on his church field in Texas. In his rounds he came upon a very wealthy farmer who loved to brag about his wealth and that he did not need God. The farmer pointed to the west and said, “Preacher, I own all those oil wells you see in the distance.” Then he pointed to the north and said, “Preacher, all those cattle are mine. I own the best herd of cattle in the state of Texas.” The wealthy farmer then pointed toward the vast fields of grain toward the south. He said, “These fields are producing more grain than they ever have.” Then he pointed to the multitude of grain bins, barns, farm equipment and his own spacious house and said, “That’s all mine.”

As he waited for the preacher to respond with some glowing remarks, the preacher pointed toward the sky and asked the wealthy farmer, “How much do you own in that direction?”

Jesus asked, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)