Ecclesiastes 5:19 says: “As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.” Many would look at this verse and say that it is only speaking about millionaires. However, let’s look at it with a different lens. According to statistics (1), a middle-class household in the United States earning $52,000 per year is in the top .97 percent of household income in the world. That is, they are literally, the global 1 percent richest. Most US citizens enjoy things that the majority of the world would love to have. For example, a) the square footage that the USA residents live in today is 50% more than previous generations . In the square footage, we have more carpet, more electrical use and more furniture. b) We have cars. Many now have 2 cars and the cars are fancier that just a generation ago. c) Most American families now have at least 2 TV’s and they enjoy DVDs, gaming, cable and other online streaming services. These are all luxuries. d) Most households have air conditioning and running water. This was not available to many families before 1950. e) Even the poorest among us today have smart phones when just a generation ago people only had land lines. f) Most Americans have some form of healthcare and if we need medication, we can simply go to the pharmacy and purchase them. This is just the tip of the iceberg!!! So before we go on complaining about how hard it is, consider that you are most likely among the richest people in the world. It’s time to be grateful and thank God for His goodness and daily divine provision, because it is the gift of God!
Ecclesiastes 5:19 “As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.”
