09/06/2026
- You Can’t Take It With You
Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, Psalm 49:1-20, Proverbs 22:20-21
Key Passage: Psalm 49:16-17
The psalmist warns of the folly of riches. Don’t worry about others getting rich, “For when they die they will carry nothing away; their wealth will not go down after them.” Storing up wealth and defining ourselves by it is a great perversion of the heart. We need to learn to break free of consumerism. This means living a simple and unadorned life. Sometimes even to go without.
John Wesley practiced a form of missional minimalism. He generated what today would be the equivalent of millions of dollars in his books and publications, and yet he gave it all away to help those in need and died possessing only a few items. He maintained a weight of 122 pounds from his twenties till his death. He ate healthy and fasted weekly. He wore the same simple clothing repeatedly until it couldn’t be worn anymore.
John Wesley lived by the simple wisdom:“ Save all you can.” This didn’t mean hoarding wealth but investing it wisely to give more. This also meant being conservative with one’s choice of purchases. Saving to Wesley meant not spending. He did not store his earnings for the types of savings we deem non-negotiables today such as emergency funds or retirement nest eggs.
Wesley urged his followers to purchase only the absolute necessities of life. He told the Methodists not to purchase expensive food, fancy clothing, or elegant furniture.
While simplifying may seem confining, it is ultimately about finding true freedom. Freedom from the feelings of worry, guilt, and the anxiety-inducing consumer culture in which we live. Minimalism is a tool to rid ourselves of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so we can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom. It’s a way to rid our lives of excess distraction and noise. For example, excessive belongings, too many commitments, spending too much money, not prioritizing our health, living in clutter—these are harmful to our souls.
Excess obviously has a physical effect on our bodies. While the type and volume of food we consume is a leading health crisis in USAmerica, children die of malnutrition and starvation all over the world. It also damages our relationships. Workaholism is an addiction often fueled by the instinct to generate more money. In the meantime, we damage our closest relationships through being absent or unavailable.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work hard and enjoy the fruits of our labor. In fact, we can see our work as a sacred vocation that adds a little more beauty, truth, and goodness to the world, no matter what we “do for a living.” We are stewards of all we have, and our wealth has the potential to bring healing to the lives of others. Here is the full spiritual genius of Wesely’s wisdom… “Earn all you can, save all you can, so you can give all you can.”
Do we have a dominating tendency to hoard or to give? What financial habits help us be more generous in the lives of others? Is our church a community where our giving makes a difference in the lives of others?
📚 From : A Daily Devotional Through the Bible for Compassionate Leaders
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