Hetty was one of the richest women of her time, whose wealth was 150 million (US$), but you wouldn’t know it by how she lived. She refused to pay for proper medical care when her son injured his leg, ultimately letting it deteriorate until he needed a cork replacement years later. She never used heat or hot water in her home, always wore the same old black dress, and bought broken cookies because they were cheaper. Her obsession with money blinded her to the needs of her own family, including the medical fees of his single son.
The Bible reminds us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Wealth isn’t evil, but when hoarded and not used to honor God or help others, it can harden the heart. Hetty’s life is a cautionary tale: riches without generosity can cost far more than money.
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RW