Solomon, known for his wisdom, speaks in Ecclesiastes 2 about how meaningless having everything one desires is. As I read this passage today, I couldn’t stop thinking about how, we as a society, and me in particular, think that having money will offer us the dream life. I have been watching The Amazing Race for the past year (roughly an episode a day), and I like to think I have watched the 28 seasons (so far) for the excitement of challenge and travel, which I do, but I also know someone will win one million dollars, so I pick a winner at the start of every new season. Likewise, they all say they love the travel and the race, but they too can’t help but imagine a life where they are the winner and have a million bucks.

When we feel good, we say we feel like a million bucks, but the vast majority of us do not know what it would feel like to have a cool million, (Is it really cool?) and anyway, nowadays even a million doesn’t seem like what it once did. Perhaps it’s time to start to say, “I feel like a billion bucks,” when we feel great, cause inflation means that cool million feels only like measly hundreds of thousands. No one wants to say, “I feel like a few hundred-thousands.” It just doesn’t have the same ring.

The Amazing Race is just one way to join the Millionaire’s Club, and I bet you can think of several and probably have your own dreamionaire fantasy.

Yet, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived they say, says even if you got all the money in the world, you would still not be satisfied. In a world of retail therapy, half-million-dollar ranch homes, and keeping up with the whoevers, those millions are just sucked up anyway, and we are left, after all the things purchased, going through the spinning doors, chasing the material-satisfaction mirage on the horizon. And Solomon, after going through many open doors, says there is only one door that needs to be opened, and it will fulfill that empty space in ways a gazillion dollars never could. Best of all – it’s free.

Don’t you love free?

I do too!

Don’t you love peace?

I do too.