Can Your Life Have Greater Meaning?

How Your Life Can Have Greater Meaning

AN ANCIENT proverbs says:   "Do not toil to gain riches. Cease from your own understanding.  have you caused your eyes to glance at  it, when it is nothing?  For without fail it makes wings for itself like those of an eagle and flies away toward the heavens."  (Proverbs 23:4, 5) In other words, it is  not wise to wear ourselves out trying to become rich, for wealth can fly away as on an eagle's wings.

As the Bible shows, material wealth can disappear quickly.  It may vanish overnight because of a natural disaster, and economic slump,  or other unforeseen occurrences.  Moreover, even those who achieve material success are often disillusioned.  Consider the case of John, who work involved entertaining politicians, sports figures and royalty.

John states:  "I gave my job everything I had.  I prospered financially, stayed in luxury hotels, and sometimes I even went to work by private jet.  At first I enjoyed it, but gradually I became bored.  The people I catered to seemed superficial.  There was not substance to my life."

As John discovered, a life devoid  of spiritual values is unsatisfying.  In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ showed how to experience lasting happiness.  He said:  "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of  the heavens belongs to them."  (Matthew  5:3)  Clearly, then, it is wise to put spiritual matters first in life.  However, other factors can also help to give life greater meaning.

Next time: Your Family and Friends Really Matter

Watchtower, 2000