March 13, 2020 • Life for Leaders
Do not be afraid when some become rich,
when the wealth of their houses increases.
For when they die they will carry nothing away;
their wealth will not go down after them.
Psalm 49:16-17 (NRSV)
Prayer:
Gracious God, sometimes the values of my workplace weigh down my soul. I can esteem the bottom line to such an extent that I begin to feel as if what matters most in life is how much money I make. I look with envy upon those who are more successful than I am and question the choices I have made or even my worth as a person. I can feel resentful, even fearful about their growing influence.
Help me, Lord, to see with your eyes, to think with your mind, to feel with your heart. May I see financial success as a matter of blessing and stewardship. May I be grateful for and faithful with all that you have entrusted to me. May I be free from envy when others experience more success than I. Help me to live for your delight, dear Lord, most of all.
Teach me, I pray, to live in light of the future. That future includes death for all of us, whether we be rich or poor. But, beyond death, there is life abundant, life in your glorious future. Help me to live with this hope, and with gratitude for the fullness of life you offer in this age through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ponder Throughout the Day:
Live today for what matters most in life.
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commentary:
Anxiety When Unscrupulous People Succeed (Psalms 49, 50, 52, 62)
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders, and the founder of the De Pree Center’s Flourishing in the Third Third of Life Initiative. Previously, Mark was the Executive Director of the De Pree Center, the lead pastor of a church in Southern California, and the Senior Director of Laity Lodge in Texas. He has written eight books, dozens of articles, and over 2,500 devotions that help people discover the difference God makes in their daily life and leadership. With a Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard, Mark teaches at Fuller Seminary, most recently in his D.Min. cohort on “Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation.” Mark is married to Linda, a marriage and family counselor, spiritual director, and executive coach. Their two grown children are educators on the high school and college level.
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Amen, need just that today, praise God.