Rick left this world looking like a successful man.

He and his wife had been married for forty-two years. Together, they raised three children and welcomed nine grandchildren. Rick provided well for his family. He paid for his children’s college educations so they could begin adulthood without the burden of student debt.

With the family home paid for and significant savings in the bank, his wife would live comfortably for the rest of her life. There would probably be a substantial inheritance left for his children and grandchildren.

Rick also served as an usher in his church for fifteen years. Several hundred people attended his funeral, where friends and family remembered his accomplishments and generosity. His body was laid to rest in an elaborate crypt with the family name engraved above it.

By nearly every earthly measure, Rick left this world a successful man.

Huck’s life looked very different.

He left behind five children from three previous marriages and six grandchildren. With two maxed-out credit cards and only a few hundred dollars in the bank, Huck owed the world far more than he possessed.

His children had to contribute toward his final expenses. There was no large funeral or elaborate crypt. Huck was cremated, and his children held a modest celebration of life attended by a few dozen relatives and friends.

From this world’s perspective, Rick was the man most people would want to emulate:

✅ Married to the same woman for forty-two years
✅ Successful in his career
✅ Paid for his children’s college educations
✅ Wealthy and debt-free
✅ Respected in his church and community

Rick appeared to have done everything right.

But there is this world’s perspective—and then there is God’s.

Two Things They Shared

Despite the dramatic differences in their marriages, finances, and reputations, Rick and Huck had at least two important things in common.

They Were Both Loved

Rick and Huck both loved their children immensely.

Huck could not give his children the opportunities and comforts Rick provided for his family, but he loved them as deeply as any father could. Both men also enjoyed the love of their children in return.

Rick’s children were thankful for the advantages their father’s success had given them. Yet their love for him was about more than college tuition, luxurious vacations, or a future inheritance. He was their father.

Huck’s children loved their dad despite his failures. He had not provided them with all the bells and whistles of a successful life. He did not leave them an inheritance. In fact, he left them bills. Nevertheless, they loved him because he was their dad—and because they knew he loved them.

One father left his children a fortune. The other left them expenses.

Both left behind people who loved them.

They Both Left Empty-Handed

Rick and Huck also left this world exactly as they entered it—with empty hands.

Rick could not take his wealth, awards, home, or elaborate burial place with him. Huck, meanwhile, left his debts and collection notices behind.

Death canceled every earthly distinction between them. Neither man carried anything across the threshold of eternity.

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”
—1 Timothy 6:7

If you had visited Rick’s home, his study might have impressed you. On its walls and shelves were:

• Top-salesman awards
• Recognition certificates
• Photographs from luxurious vacations
• Pictures of Rick with prominent dignitaries
• Family portraits from happier occasions
• A beautiful leather Bible resting on an elegant wooden stand

Huck’s one-bedroom apartment told a different story.

The condition of those two Bibles does not tell us with certainty what was in either man’s heart. A worn Bible cannot save us, and a pristine Bible does not condemn us. But the contrast does invite a sobering question:

Was the Word of God merely displayed in Rick’s home—or had it taken root in his heart?

And had Huck merely studied the Bible—or had he truly placed his trust in the Savior revealed through its pages?

Wealth Is Not the Villain

This is not another story claiming that rich people go to hell while poor people go to heaven.

Hell contains people who were rich and people who were poor. So does heaven. We are not saved by having money, and we are not saved by lacking it. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Nevertheless, wealth carries particular spiritual dangers because the desire for it can quietly enslave the heart:

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” —1 Timothy 6:9

Notice that Paul does not condemn money itself. He warns about the desire to be rich.

That desire can lead to:

• Dishonesty
• Exploitation
• Envy
• Workaholism
• Ethical compromise
• Neglect of family
• Spiritual indifference
• The belief that we no longer need God

Money can be a useful servant, but it is a merciless master. If we are not careful to use it as a tool for serving God and others, our desire for money can turn it into a god that demands more and more of us while never allowing us to be satisfied.

Yet not everyone blessed with the ability to build wealth becomes enslaved by it. Scripture gives us examples of people who possessed resources and used them generously.

In Jesus’ parable, the Good Samaritan had the means to transport a wounded stranger to an inn, pay for his immediate care, and promise to cover any additional expenses:

“And the next day he took out two denarii (two days wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’”
—Luke 10:35

The Samaritan’s resources gave him an opportunity to show mercy. But it was the condition of his heart—not the amount in his purse—that distinguished him from the priest and the Levite who previously passed by the wounded stranger.

Scripture provides other examples:

• Joseph of Arimathea, described as a rich man and a disciple of Jesus, provided his own new tomb for Christ’s burial (Matthew 27:57–60).
• Lydia, a merchant of expensive purple goods, opened her home to Paul and his companions (Acts 16:14–15, 40).
• Aquila and Priscilla, who earned their living as tentmakers, opened their home to other believers and helped advance the gospel (Acts 18:1–4, 24–26; Romans 16:3–5).
• Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was known for giving generously to those in need (Acts 10:1–4).

It is not wrong to possess wealth. It is dangerous, however, when wealth possesses us.

Money has a legitimate place in our lives, but it cannot safely become our ultimate goal. Believers should receive material blessings with gratitude and handle them with humility. We are temporary stewards of what belongs eternally to God—not permanent owners building kingdoms for ourselves.

What Happened When They Opened Their Eyes?

I do not know what world Rick and Huck opened their eyes to after leaving this one. Thankfully, that judgment is far above my pay grade.

I hope they both placed their faith in Jesus Christ. I hope they are both enjoying God’s presence for eternity.

But neither Rick’s accomplishments nor Huck’s failures can answer that question for us.

Rick’s long marriage could not save him.

His generosity toward his children could not save him.

His years of service as a church usher could not save him.

The hundreds of people at his funeral could not save him.

Likewise, Huck’s worn Bible could not save him. Neither could his children’s love, his modest lifestyle, or his lack of worldly success.

Only Jesus saves.

Two criminals were crucified on either side of Christ. Both men may have had families who loved them. Both entered their final hours with empty hands. Both were close enough to Jesus to speak to Him.

One criminal died beside Jesus while rejecting Him. The other died beside Jesus while trusting Him.

Physical proximity to Christ did not save them. Faith made the eternal difference.

That should humble and sober every one of us.

Rick and Huck entered this world empty-handed, and they left it the same way. They could take neither wealth nor debt, neither awards nor failures, neither an elaborate crypt nor a container of ashes.

They left behind families who loved them—but even the deepest love of family cannot carry someone into heaven.

Eventually, each of us will leave this world empty-handed.

The only question that will matter then is not:

“How much did I accumulate?”

“How successful did I appear?”

“How many people attended my funeral?”

or even:

“How religious did I look?”

The question will be:

“What did I do with Jesus Christ?”

If you are uncertain how you would answer that question, do not wait until your hands are empty and your time is gone. Turn toward Jesus Christ today and be filled with His light. Receive the salvation you could never earn, and begin living for the only treasure you will never have to leave behind.

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