Wisdom & Avarice Meet
Greed and wisdom are the strangest of soul-mates. In fact greed is a thief to wisdom, it is a sickness of the heart. The true story is told when wisdom almost completely cured avarice.
In 1519 a young explorer, Hernando Cortez, armed by deceit set out from Spain to Mexico. His intent was to plunder the New World for its curiosities and riches, notably gold. Uncommonly Cortez was a man mixed with wisdom and avarice. He learned that the time arrives when poverty becomes the greatest of riches.
An illustration is found in the flight of Cortez on that fearful night when the Aztecs compelled the invaders to escape for their lives. The vast masses of gold that had been accumulated were more than could be carried away, as each soldier would have to fight his way through.
The men were permitted to take what they would—but the commander warned them against overloading. "For," said he, "he travels safest in the dark night is he who travels lightest."
The more cautious men heeded the advice so given—but others were less self-restrained. Some bound heavy chains of gold around their neck and shoulders, some filled their pockets with the bulky gold ingots, until they literally staggered under their burden.
The experience of the conflict that ensued demonstrated the wisdom of the commander's advice, and the folly of those who failed to heed it, for all such became an easy prey to the lances of the Aztecs!
To save life—all else had to be abandoned; and that night poverty itself was the greatest of riches. (anon)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)
Anything AT ALL that hinders our safe arrival in heaven—we MUST resolutely sacrifice.
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