Leaving the Dogs of Society

1Timothy 6:17-19

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

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So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough

Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road

"Good Bye Yellow Brick Road" Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin from the Elton John album of the same name

This story is told in every time and place, the story of a person who becomes the plaything of another. Always on display, always the accessory, but not merely the arm-candy. In this case, the accessory is supposed to shine, but only to enhance the status of the other.

It would be like the moon bragging about the way it shines, holding the sun at arm's length. The sun's doing all the work, but the moon is doing all the bragging.

In both cases, when the real source of light goes away, all that's left is darkness.

So for the rich, who's more important: the rich or the one who has made them rich. Maybe that's one of the troubles with our economy today, the people making each other rich are lawyers and accountants manipulating numbers that don't reflect the work of the people. Insert your favorite Enron reference here. They were so busy making money, they forgot they were in the energy business. Ultimately, they were just in the number juggling business and that house of cards fell with a harder thud than even they imagined.

These folks got more concerned with what money could buy than with God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They wanted the bells and whistles and were left only with what they could hide, which was more than most people were able to salvage.

They were living on the front lines of society, howling like dogs. They were seducing the world to "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Cribs" not noticing that there was nothing behind the curtain. But not the young man in Elton's song, he wouldn't be planted in the penthouse like a fern.

God richly provides us with what we need, and what's glorious is that when we get what we need, we find that it is more than what we expect and better than what we want. How wonderful! It's more and better. This is God's gift to us so that we may take hold of the life that really is life, better than the death that we would pick on our own. That's one way to discover the future that lies beyond the yellow brick road.

Value of Information--Information of Values

Thanks for the request Andrew!


Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 (NRSV)

I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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Same old song
Just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do
Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind

"Dust in the Wind" by Kerry Livgren from "Point of Know Return" by Kansas

Greed was a sin, a sin that eventually played in the death of Judas. But vanity, oh vanity, there's a sin for the ages.

The teacher in Ecclesiastes has a point about the thirst for wisdom, chasing the wisdom of the world is an unhappy business, a vain pursuit. All that we do, all that is done under the sun; all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

We live in the "information age." We constantly seek information, thinking that more and better information will increase wisdom. Many say that they have to see it themselves, do it themselves before they will believe. Everyone wants the hands on experience, not trusting the word or deeds of another.

We hope that more information will lead to better wisdom. It is unfortunate that more often than not, more information leads only to a better quality of chaos. All of the information in the world does not lead to wisdom, synthesis of information around a compass is how information points to wisdom. And perhaps there is no greater wisdom than knowing that all of our information seeking is vanity and a chasing after wind.

All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see. The pyramids have been around for thousands of years. But of the ancient wonders of the world, what others still exist? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? The Colossus of Rhodes? The Lighthouse of Alexandria? Dust in the wind, each and every one.

The greatest monuments of the ages now just memories. Ecclesiastes reminds us that the great wisdom of the world is not found in the vanities of our lives. It is found in the value of a friend because two are better than one. When one falls, there is another to lift the stricken.

It is reverence, humility, and contentment that are to be prized above all else. Service not to the things of the world, but to the Lord who created it is where wisdom lies.

It's easy to say that the one with the gold rules, but it is better to give the gold for the Kingdom of God than to keep it for the Colossus who will fade into distant memory.