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Key Bible Verse: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man (Ecclesiastes 12:13b). Bonus Reading: Ecclesiastes 12

A flight attendant I met on a recent business trip was baffled by her husband's erratic moods. "He loves his work," she explained. "Sometimes he'll work 12 hours a day for months. And then, boom—he'll mope around for weeks. I ask him what he wants, and he can't tell me." She said she had no idea what to do for this man who had wealth, a job he always wanted, a beautiful home and two children. "What's his problem?" she asked.

The problem is "success sickness": always wanting more but never being satisfied when we get it. Lots of affluent men today have pursued the dollar with passion, reading their Bibles for comfort but their Forbes for direction. Men who pursue the wrong goals find that achieving them doesn't really matter.

Solomon was such a man. He achieved every goal he set. Yet, after seeking success the world's way, Solomon was driven to conclude, "Everything is utterly meaningless!" Success bored him.

Actually, when Solomon centered his life on God, he drew a second conclusion [recorded in today's Key Bible Verse]: Success that matters is built on relating to God through surrender, service and self-denial. It produces happiness, contentment and significance.

—Patrick Morley in New Man

• How would you define success?

Thought to Apply: The aftertaste of affluence is boredom.

—MICHAEL NOVAK (philosopher and author)

Credits: Adapted from —Friday: New Man (3-4/99)

Copyright © 2000 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity. For reprint information click here.

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Prayer for the Week

Jesus, fill me with the abundant life promised in Your Word. Give me Your wisdom to live well.

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