Psalm 4

Several years ago, I used to edit and produce a monthly newsletter for Canadian business people who were trying to either get rich or stay rich. It was an interesting job, to say the least. On the average, I edited articles from, roughly, 30 “experts” in various fields of business. I learned a lot about investing, marketing, and real estate. But, in all time time I produced that newsletter, I was never tempted to drop everything and run after the wealth. Maybe you could say I’m lazy. (I know that’s what at least four of those “experts” would have said!) Or maybe you could say that I just have different priorities in life.

Even though I never met any of those writers, there were times when I knew I wouldn’t want to pursue what they were talking about, simply based on who they appeared to be from their writing. For instance, I remember one of the writers submitting an article once about how the most patriotic thing anybody could do was make a ton of money; he quoted Kiss legend and multi-millionaire businessman Gene Simmons: “This idea that money can’t buy happiness is wrong. Not having money makes you unhappy. Having money actually does make you happy. Even if you are a miserable son of a b****, you’re still going to be happier being a rich miserable son of a b****.”

I’ll never forget that article, because when I read that, it just made me sad. I couldn’t disagree more. Money might make certain things easier in this life, but making you happy? I don’t know Gene Simmons, but I wonder how he would rate his life on the happiness scale.

This idea that money can buy happiness is nothing new. It’s a concept as old as… well, time. David talked about it in today’s psalm: “Why is everyone hungry for more? ‘More, more,’ they say. ‘More, more.’ I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.” (vs 6-7)

Unless people have God first in their lives, they will always say, More, more. Because nothing can satisfy the heart like God. Nothing. There is only one place in the world to find true, lasting happiness—in God. Other things may promise happiness, and they may even provide temporary fun and enjoyment, but if they’re not centered in God, the happiness will fade.

The good news is that, with God, we don’t have to give up the “more.” It’s not a choice between Him or other things. In fact, when we put Him first, we find—as David said—that we get more-than-enough. That’s more than enough of what we need and more than enough of what we want.

So I’m sorry, Gene Simmons, but you’re wrong. Money can’t buy happiness, because true happiness isn’t for sale. True happiness is a gift from God, and He’s more than willing to give it to us.