August 9

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” — 2 Kgs 20:1 BSB

Palace walls can’t keep sickness at bay. Kings and queens, like peasants, must yield to the touch of disease and pain. People who live simple lives often feel that they are more vulnerable to life’s troubles than the rich, who seem protected by their wealth and grand living. Sometimes, they even envy those in great houses, imagining that their palace walls shield them from most of life’s hardships.

But this is a mistake. No grand doors can shut out trouble. The healthiest people in the world are often those who work with their hands, earning their bread by honest labor. These people are often both the healthiest and the happiest. Wealth and high status bring more cares than they keep out! The tall peaks may be more visible than the low hills, but they’re also swept by more storms. The real lesson is to learn contentment with simplicity and God’s blessing. “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction!” (1 Timothy 6:8-9)

During a stormy night in the American Civil War, someone spoke to President Lincoln about pitying the soldiers in the field. Lincoln replied that there was not one of them with whom he wouldn’t gladly trade places that night. Responsibility brings its own burdens.