Wise Investing

(Pro 21:17 KJV)  He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Here is part of the formula for failure.  If “pleasure” (8057) is a priority you will be a loser.  I think we see a version of the Millionaire Mind here.  Those who accumulate wealth do not need to show it off.  The one who looks richest, probably isn’t.  I think of an economics quote I once heard, “It isn’t how much you make that counts, but how much you keep.”

Notice the targets of wealth in this verse.  The first, “pleasure” (8057), is a concept we can relate to.  “Wine” (3196) we understand.  But what is this about “oil” (8081)?  In our culture we hear the oil industry vilified.  We put oil in our frying pans and salad dressing.  We do not understand the place of oil in less advanced cultures. 

Oil would have been considered a lotion to soften and smooth the body.  It would be applied to reduce body odor.  It was used for medicinal applications.  Modern chemicals and cosmetics were still a long way in the future.

So?  What are you investing your life in?  Are you focused on the common targets of our culture or are you going after the strange?  The point we are to get is that the focus of our lives is not supposed to be the focus of our culture.  Jesus is not available in diet form nor is He listed on the Stock Exchange.