How Much is Enough?

In 1866 the great Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, wrote a short story entitled “How Much Land Does a Man Require?” in the story, a man named Pahom has a strong desire to acquire land for farming. He gradually can get more land, but he is never satisfied with what he has. He is always wanting more. No matter what he can buy, it is never enough. His greed leads to arguments with his neighbors and causes him to move, and though he amasses a small fortune, he is never content.

Eventually, he hears about a group of people called the Bashkirs, who own a vast amount of land. He goes to them to see if he can purchase even more land than he has. As he begins negotiating with them, he discovers they have a very odd proposition for him. Pahom can begin at daybreak for one thousand rubbles and walk around as much land as he wants. He can have it all for that price if he gets back to the starting point by sundown.

If he does not make it for any reason, he will lose his money and get no land. Pahom is thrilled with this proposition, imagining the vast amount of land he can walk around in a full day, so he agrees. He begins at daybreak and walks and walks and walks. He has gone a long way when he realizes it is past noon and he needs to head back. As he makes his way to the starting point, he sees the sun dips close to the horizon. He begins to run, desperately trying to get back to the beginning point before the sun is completely down. Finally, with every ounce of energy he has, he can return to the starting point just as the sun goes down. However, the strain was too much for his heart, and he fell dead as he reached his goal. The Bashkirs buried him in a six-foot grave, keeping his money and answering the question of how much land a man requires.

In addition to being a great story, Tolstoy illustrates an essential Biblical truth for us. Jesus made the point long before Tolstoy when he told the story of a similar man who “tore down his barns and built bigger barns,” then suffered the same fate as Pahom, dying before he could begin to enjoy his “success.” The question in the scriptures was, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?”

In 1 John 2, we are told that we should not love the world or the things in it because this world is passing away and everything in it is. True contentment can’t be found in the things of this world. No matter how much land we may acquire in life, we will only wind up with six feet. And no matter how many barns full of whatever kind of things we may wind up in life, all will ultimately be left behind.

At the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, we are told, “The conclusion when all has been heard is: Fear God and keep His commandments.” This is where true riches and true contentment in life are found.