Wednesday; June 20

Last week Jeane and I had the opportunity to visit Whitehall, the Henry Flagler Museum on Palm Beach, Florida.  I have been to a lot of museums and historic houses, but I have to tell you that what Flagler accumulated is impressive.  Not only did he have an incredible amount of money, he also acquired a lot of impressive stuff.  If you get a chance to stop by and see how the REALLY rich people live, it is worth the price of admission. 
While I was impressed by the “stuff” in the house, the thing that made the biggest impact on me may have been the iguana that was sunning on the lawn.  Basking in the glory of opulence was an invasive species – an interloper –  that was clueless to what all this stuff was suppose to mean to us humans.  He didn’t pay to enter the grounds and while we walked around drooling at the possessions, he was relishing the impeccably manicured grass.
As I thought about the lizard on the lawn it got me to thinking about what is really important.  Sure, Flagler was wealthy, but what does that really mean?  It is said that he did good with his money, but even that philanthropy didn’t make him superhuman.  As King David reflected on wealth he observed, “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.” then concludes with, “Man in his  pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish.” (Psalm 49:16, 17, 20)
Affluence can be a blessing, but let’s remember that the nature of a man is not determined by his bankbook.  True wealth come from a deep relationship with God.
Think About It!

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