Planting Seeds for Tomorrow

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

Why is the love of “pleasure” (8057) a problem?  Neither word is necessarily evil.  “Loveth” (157)  can refer to your love for God.  Pleasure is usually translated “joy” or “happiness”.  What could be wrong with that?  It is the combination.  Combinations can change things.  Think of water which is necessary for life.  It is the combination of two explosive elements.  Think of fire as the combination of the oxygen we need to breathe and the carbon which makes up most of our bodies.  Is gasoline explosive?  Only in the right mixture with air. 

How we mix joy and gladness is a matter of choice.  The combination is something we decide on.  How we mix the two is based on our priorities.  We see our nation sliding down hill as we become more materialistic and hedonistic.  If you know your history you understand it is the way Rome went as it decayed from within.  The rot starts in the individual because the individual makes up the whole.

So?  Look at your choices for the day.  What have you decided to invest your time and money in as you move forward?  Are you starting the decay of the nation?  Are you giving it a push toward the brink or lifting it toward righteousness?  Today’s decisions make a difference in tomorrow’s destiny.