THE TESTIMONY: ACCUMULATION
Ecclesiastes 6:1-2 I
have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: God gives a
man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires,
but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead.
This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
The
ways of the world began to influence and affect my life. College days were
spent in learning the wisdoms of the world. The days of employment were marked
by the struggle for material success and acknowledgement by others of my
successes. A high salary, impressive titles and position, many employees to
rule over, people to impress these were the marks of my success as I understood
success. The world had me by the heart and mind. Their philosophy I learned in
self-help books. My mentors were men of the world. Greed, lustful,
self-centered, egotistical were their principles of life they shared with me.
They were my role models. Church life and Christian beliefs were no longer a
part of my life. They were no existent in my world.
All
the efforts for material and worldly success proved to provide no happiness. I
was neither content nor satisfied with the attainment of the world's success
symbols. I realized in 1987 that my life was moving further from my family and
my heart felt beliefs. Everything I tried to do as the world taught me was not
proving to be fulfilling.
Grace Presbyterian Church, June 12, 1993