Vanity is something that goes through the front of the whole world, and many are those who fall under its offer, not remembering that being vain does not please God. Vanity is subtle, attractive, and deceptive. It feeds the ego and blinds the heart, making people forget that everything we possess on earth is temporary and fragile.
Being vain is like having termites inside the soul—slowly and silently destroying the good that once existed, consuming character, humility, and gratitude. Just as termites eat away at the foundation of a house until it collapses, vanity works in the same way in the hearts of those who allow it to take root. A vain person begins to measure everything by appearance, wealth, or admiration from others, forgetting the eternal values that God teaches in His Word.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
This verse is a profound reminder that the human heart, when disconnected from God, always wants more. The man who loves silver will never have enough, because his soul has become a bottomless pit. No amount of money, success, or luxury can satisfy a heart enslaved by vanity. The more a person feeds this desire, the emptier they become.
The Word of God also warns us in 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” Notice that it does not say money itself is evil, but the love of it. When a person lives for money, sacrifices integrity for gain, or places wealth above God, they begin to pierce themselves with many sorrows. Their values shift, their humility fades, and their heart becomes consumed by greed.
Psalm 138:6 says, “Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off.” This is a powerful truth. God draws close to the humble but distances Himself from the proud. Throughout Scripture we see kings, rulers, and wealthy men fall because their hearts were lifted up. They trusted in riches rather than in God, and as a result, God brought them low.
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
Ecclesiastes 5:11
Solomon, a man who possessed unimaginable wealth, understood better than anyone the emptiness of riches without God. He was surrounded by people who lived well and had great possessions, yet many of them lacked compassion and generosity. Their riches did not make them better people; instead, many became proud, selfish, and indifferent to the needs of others.
But those who share their blessings, who love their neighbors, who give without boasting—those are the ones God prospers. The blessings of the Lord fill their homes, not only materially but spiritually. God delights in a humble heart that uses resources to bless others rather than exalt itself.
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
Ecclesiastes 5:12
This proverb paints a vivid contrast. The righteous, even with little, sleep peacefully because their conscience is clean and their trust is in God. But the rich man enslaved by vanity lives in anxiety. His wealth becomes his burden. He lies awake worrying about thieves, losses, or the future. Instead of enjoying what he has, he becomes a prisoner to it.
It is not a sin to have resources. What is dangerous is allowing wealth, appearance, or achievements to harden the heart. God calls us to humility, generosity, and dependence on Him. Each day we must ask the Lord to help us remain humble, to bless the needy, to keep our hearts free from the love of money, and to remember that everything we have belongs to Him.
Let us renounce vanity, embrace humility, and use everything God gives us for His glory, not ours.
2 comments on “The vanity of money”
The vanity of money
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We can observe everywhere in the world a lot of people whose disposition is always to seek money, to save it, with the aim of increasing their fortune, but without thinking they shall not spend it here in all their lives. They buy lands or houses which they are not able to enjoy.
That is vanity. It is not useful to accumulate money or goods, as a treasure for other people to inherit. Likewise, we all have to die, and it is possible that heirs will not manage well their inheritance or will even squander it.
The Holy Scriptures teach us how good it is to be wise people. We read:
“When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”
That was the experience of a wise man like Solomon, who enjoyed goods, money or wealth of this world; who could get all kinds of pleasures by money and found that it was all vanity.
Solomon’s glory was well known in the world of his time, his meetings and banquets —that a great number of people attended and, that supposedly costed him a lot of money too.
We know perfectly how important money is. If you have money, all people want to be friends with you. But it is not so when you are a poor person.
Work is necessary; and be looking for a job and be unable to find it may be a true curse. All of us need a job, and to earn money to live.
“The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”
(Ecclesiastes 5:11-12)
Simple and God-fearing people, who have a job and manage well their incomes, may be glad, calm people.
However, rich people only trust in their riches and in the money they have. News reports have informed us about how they finish their lives, and what evil things they sometimes do to keep and increase their money, as we know.
But it is possible to be a man or woman who is rich in money, fearful of God, and, at the same time, to do many good actions for needy people, near or far away in this world, by the wisdom and the leading of the Spirit of God.
The children of God can be blessed people, for our heavenly Father knows well what things we need; and, as the Bible says, we must be content with our actual situation, which is God’s will.
“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (1 Timothy 6:8)
May the Lord God be blessed for ever
AMEN