Someone once asked famous evangelist Billy Graham what surprised him most about life, now that he was old (Graham was in his 60s at the time). Graham’s answer? “The brevity of it.”

No question, life does go by quickly.

What do the following texts teach about human life here? Psalm 49:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-7; Psalm 39:11; James 4:14; Eccles. 2:18-22.

Not only does life go by quickly, but when you die, you take nothing with you, at least of the material goods that you have accumulated. (Character? That’s another story.) “For when he dies he shall carry nothing away” (Psalm 49:17, NKJV), which means that he or she leaves it behind for someone else to get. Who will get it, of course, depends upon what plans are made beforehand.

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Though, of course, not everyone has an estate per se, most people, particularly as they have worked through the years, have accumulated some wealth. In the end, what will happen to that wealth after you pass on is really an important question that people should consider.

For those who have possessions at the end of life, no matter how great or small our goods might be, estate planning can be our final act of stewardship, of carefully managing what God has blessed us with. If you don’t have an estate plan that you have created with a will or trust, the state’s or civil government’s laws can come into play (all this depends, of course, on where you live). If you die without a will, most civil jurisdictions simply pass your assets on to your relatives, whether they need them or not, whether or not they would make good use of the money, and whether or not you would have chosen to give a portion to that person. The church will get nothing. If that’s what you want, fine; if not, you need to work out plans beforehand.

In the very simplest terms, we can say that because God is the Owner of everything (see Psalm 24:1), it would be logical to conclude from a biblical perspective that when we are finished with what God has entrusted to us, we should return to Him, the rightful Owner, what is left, once the needs of loved ones are met.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/monday-you-cant-take-it-with-you/

Read Luke 12:16-21. What’s the relevant message to us here? What strong rebuke did the Lord give to the foolish man, and what should that say to us regarding our attitude toward what we own?

Though the message is broader than this, one could argue that this was a story Jesus told about what not to do in retirement. Accordingly, if a person is quitting work to spend his accumulated assets on himself, he should beware and take this story to heart.

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The problem is not with working hard or getting wealth, particularly as one gets older and, perhaps, even richer. The problem is with the attitude toward it. His words — “take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19, NKJV) — express the real issue here.

“This man’s aims were no higher than those of the beasts that perish. He lived as if there were no God, no heaven, no future life; as if everything he possessed were his own, and he owed nothing to God or man.” — Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, Pages 257, 258.

If, during this stage of life, we think only of ourselves and ignore the needs of others and the cause of God, we are following the example of the rich fool. There was no indication in Jesus’ parable that the rich man was lazy or dishonest. The problem was in how he spent what God had entrusted to him. Because we don’t know the day of our death, we should always be ready for it by living to carry out God’s will instead of pursuing a life of selfishness.

The general picture given in the Bible is that a person works and remains productive as long as he or she is able. In fact, it is interesting to note that the authors of the great prophetic books of Daniel and the Revelation were, many believe, both in their 80s when they completed their work. This was at a time when the average age at death was about 50 years. Ellen G. White published some of her best-known and best-loved books, such as The Desire of Ages, after about age 70. Age, then, as long as we are healthy, should not mean that we stop being productive and, to whatever extent possible, doing some good.

Jesus counseled those waiting for His Second Coming not just to watch but to continue working as well (Matthew 24:44-46).

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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