“When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.” (Proverbs 11:7)
Most people are longing for a comfortable and carefree life. They tend to hope that they’ll enjoy good health, that they’ll become rich and influential or that they will find a good job, to name just a few examples. In all these cases, they can’t be sure that they will receive what they are longing for. Their optimistic state of mind may be disappointed.
Moreover, the things they are hoping for, are only temporary. They last till death at best and can disappear quickly. People fall ill, stock markets crash and hurricanes or earthquakes destroy carefully maintained homes. And even if everything goes well, “when the wicked dies, his hope will perish”.
This is a severe warning for all of us. If our hopes are focused alone on earthly things, we are acting foolishly. Instead, we should seek the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom will never perish and it won’t disappoint our hopes for a joyful and blessed life — starting here on earth, but reaching its fullness in eternity.
What are you putting your hope in?