Some Things Money Can’t Buy

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 10:39 PM

 Some Things Money Can’t Buy

The verdict is out on whether or not money can buy happiness, however, there are certainly things that money cannot buy.
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”  But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!  Acts 8:18-20
In the book of Acts, we read that Simon tried to buy the “power” manifested through Peter.  Imagine that, trying to buy something that is freely given because Jesus paid it all!  The very act of offering money for a gift from God shows that he didn’t understand the value of what was being presented.
As I read this scripture I began to think about other things of value that do not have a price tag:
Love
It is often said that money can’t buy you love.  This is an indisputable truth.  Money may be the appearance of love, but true love is an emotion that cannot be expressed with a dollar sign. 
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.   - 1 Cor 13:4-8
No where is there a dollar amount placed on love.  Jesus paid it all and no amount of money we can offer can outbid the love He demonstrated when He died for us.
Respect
It is often said that respect must be earned.  Its easy to make a correlation between earnings and money, however, money can not buy respect.  Money, position, and power may cause people to treat you a certain way, but true respect is earned when we demonstrate excellent leadership qualities.
John Maxwell, author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership says the highest level of leadership results in respect.  Money, position, and power may afford you the ability to speak or dictate, but it isn’t until respect is truly earned that people will listen.
Time
Money may dictate how we spend our time, but actual time itself cannot be purchased, exchanged or redeemed.  Rather you are conscious of it or not, we are all “spending time”. The key is to make sure we are spending time doing something fruitful.
Luke 16:19-31 records the story of an unnamed rich man and Lazarus.  When their time was up (euphemism for death), the rich man faced certain torment and begged to go back to warn his brothers.  His request was not granted.  His riches could not be redeemed for more time.
We spend time, kill time, and we rarely recognize the value of time.  Please make sure your time is time well spent.
Joy
As stated at the beginning, there are differing opinions on the relationship between money and happiness.  However, joy is different than happiness.  Happiness is based on circumstances, where joy is eternal.  Joy is from the Lord.  Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is your strength.  No matter the size of your bank account, investment portfolio, or net worth, your joy will not be defined by material things.
What about you?  What are some things that money can’t buy?


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