The ancient Roman city of Pompeii, Italy, was destroyed in AD 79 by a massive eruption from Mount Vesuvius. The city was quickly buried in 13 to 20 feet of ash and pumice. All, or most, of its 11,000 residents perished in one day. When the city was uncovered in 1599, revealing hundreds of well-preserved bodies, it was generally assumed that the inhabitants had suffocated in the ash.
A study published in 2010 came to a very different conclusion. Scientists discovered that a blast of heat (about 482 degrees Fahrenheit) shot through the city. That would have caused instant death,even to those hiding inside of buildings. One particular body of a woman found mummified in Pompeii told a very tragic story. She was obviously headed toward the city gate, but she was reaching behind her attempting to grab a bag. When the bag was opened, they found costly pearls. In his book Feminine Faces, Clovis Chappell drew a lesson we can all learn from the death of that woman. Chappell said, “Though death was hard at her heels, and life was beckoning to her beyond the city gates, she could not shake off their spell…But it was not the eruption of Vesuvius that made her love pearls more than life. It only froze her in this attitude of greed.” That woman in Pompeii isn’t the only one who feared losing valuable possessions. I think that you and I can relate. We all have things that we really wouldn’t want to lose. Let’s be fair. There are actually good reasons why we want to keep a tight grip on certain things we own, including our money. We know they can easily slip away. If we have a good paying job, we could get laid off. If we have a nice TV, we know it will eventually wear out or perhaps even get stolen. If we have some money in the bank, an illness could drain it dry. If we have some investments, a bad economy could wipe them out. Jesus spoke to those fears in the Sermon on the Mount. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). In other words, if we find ourselves longing for buried treasure, one day we will wind up being buried by that treasure. We all understand that some money is necessary. We need food, clothing, and a place to live. That’s one reason losing money can be so scary, but it is actually possible to live without worrying about money. Jesus shows us how, but we must first decide to follow Him. That is why Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). When we decide to follow Jesus, that will change everything. We will come to value Him above everything else in this life. “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). As a Christ-follower, we can know two things for sure. First, nothing will ever separate us from Him. No recession or thief can ever take Him away from us. (See Romans 8:31-39) Second, a relationship with Jesus means that we possess His amazing promises that He will take care of us. “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’… But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31, 33). “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it” (Proverbs 23:4) Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? If so, then rest in His pledge that He will take care of you. As Paul reminded the Christians in Philippi: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Do you really believe this? If so, money is not a hazard in your life now, nor will it ever be in the future.
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