I ran across a study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) several years ago. The organization wanted to research people's desire for achieving wealth.

Surprisingly, the results indicated that Americans are almost evenly divided in that desire. About 49% of Americans surveyed do not want to be wealthy.

Most of them (38%) are satisfied with where they are in life. They are comfortable with their current lifestyle and place little value on money's ability to buy happiness.

The other 11% believe that wealth makes people greedy and insensitive. Not wanting to be perceived in a negative light, this group does not want to be wealthy.

On the other side of the spectrum, 51% of Americans want more. Some people in this group see money as a measure of success, or of having arrived. Others see money as a way to achieve that stress-free financial freedom we all desire. Lastly, money can also help meet the needs of family, friends, and those less fortunate.

There are three questions we should ask ourselves if we fall into this group.

Why do we want to be wealthy?

Is it because we don't have enough money or cannot afford the lifestyle we think we have to have? Do we believe that more money will solve our problems? Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income."

Is it because others around us have more than we do and we want to be like them? Psalm 49:16-17 reads, "Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him."

How are we going to get there?

Are we playing the lottery or running to the casinos? Are we buying into multi-level marketing companies and work-from-home programs hoping to find the jackpot? Proverbs 28:20 tells us, "The faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished."

Are we burning the midnight oil and spending less and less time with our family, thinking that the big check is right around the corner? Proverbs 23:4-5 says, "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 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."

Are we following the model?

The funny this is that we keep looking to other people to find the secret to success. We buy everyone's book or CD or DVD to find out how they made it. We tune into the various talk shows to listen to others' stories. But we have had the blueprint all along. The Bible gives us everything we need.

One key is love. In 1 John 3:16-17, John tells us, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

Another key is a focus on God. Timothy shares with us in 1 Timothy 6:17-19. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

We are only here for a moment. As we begin to set our goals for the new year, we should consider adding goals that can improve the lives of those around us. We should make the light and love of Christ evident in our daily lives.

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