WHICH WALL

We All Admire The Guy Who “Makes It”

Here’s the brief autobiography of one such an individual:

“I built…

“I made…

“I bought…

“I owned…

“I amassed…

“I acquired… “

And finally:

“I BECAME… “

In other words, the individual arrived, having achieved affluence. Visibility. Status. Perhaps even respect.

And then he indulged! “I denied myself nothing… “

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.  (Eccl 2:1-10)

But here is the kicker: According to his autobiography:

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.  (Eccl 2:11)

How is this possible? Had he not achieved it all? The answer is, “No, he had not.” And the reason?

* None of his achievements could fill his inner emptiness. “Inside of every man there is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill.”

* Jesus Christ cautioned, For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  (Matt 16:26)

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.  (Luke 12:15)

How tragic it would be to have climbed the ladder of success, (in the secular world) only to realize too late (as did Solomon) that you had leaned it against the wrong wall.

SO THE QUESTION IS: “Which wall is your ladder leaning against?”