As Americans, we tend to spend our time and effort chasing the almighty dollar. Some will say it is to give us the ability to help others. But what good is it to spend the majority of our time building wealth only to spend a minority of our time giving back. Proverbs 23:4-5 says, 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Chasing money, no matter how good the intentions, leads to chasing more money and not much else.

Many things happen in our lives we will never understand and there are some we will not understand for years to come as we see how God has orchestrated the events of our lives. Proverbs 20:24 counsels us not to worry, A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way? We must always trust God that He knows what he is doing even when it makes no sense to us.

Being in a crowd does not keep us from feeling lonely. We all need people in our lives who give significance to our lives. Proverbs 18:24 says, A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. It is better to have one close friend than to have many superficial acquaintances. More importantly, instead of looking for a true friend, we must first strive to become one.