July 21 - Psalm 73:12

This is what the wicked are like

-- always free of care,

they go on amassing wealth

Psalm 73:12

First, God does not disapprove of wealth! Abraham was wealthy. David and Solomon were wealthy. Joseph of Arimathea used his wealth to care for Jesus and bury our Lord's body. God does not disapprove of wealth!!

What God warns us about is being "free of care."

Wait ... “carefree” is generally seen as a good thing. (And God, of course, does not want us to worry. He, indeed, will take care of our greatest needs. He is our refuge and strength. He will protect us.)

But "free of care" is different ... and not good. Think of it as "free of compassion."

That's what's "wicked."

That's the temptation of those who are "amassing wealth." Some build their fortune at the expense of others. Some prioritize greed over generosity. If enough is never enough – for you as well as a truly rich person – ask yourself how often you are really lacking in compassion.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who --

by the standards of the

world and world history --

is rich, rich, rich

... therefore, I'd better be

generous, generous, generous,

or I'm wicked, wicked, wicked