Are You Rich?

Verse: Proverbs 28:20 (ESV)
A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

Devotion
Abound with blessings? Sign me up! But wait…if I try to get rich, I’ll be punished? How do those two ideas go together?

It’s hard sometimes to hear the word “blessings” and not to think of wealth, material possessions, business or athletic success, fame, etc. After all, it’s become the cool thing to do, for someone who has those things, to announce that they are ‘#blessed’. But what if God means something else when he uses that word? Health, a loving family, a job that supports that family, meaningful friendships, and so many other things are blessings in our lives. And of course, we don’t all experience all of them. But I’d be willing to bet, the more faithful you are, the more you begin to view things as blessings that you wouldn’t have considered as such before.

So what about this punishing the rich idea? We probably all know that ‘hasten’ means “to be quick to do something”. But it can also mean “to cause something to happen more quickly than it otherwise would”. Sounds like cutting corners to try and get ahead, doesn’t it? Like the kind of thing that might be deserving of punishment? It doesn’t just have to pertain to those who lie, cheat, and steal to gain their wealth though. Being quick to do something means you’re making it a priority in your life. And when we make the pursuit of wealth a priority, it means God and his kingdom are taking a backseat.

Now, I’ll admit, I’ve sometimes daydreamed about making enough money to be ‘comfortable’, to take care of my family, etc. And I’ll even think, “Imagine how much good I could/would do if only I was rich. I’d give so much of my money to people in need.” But do you see the problem with that philosophy? I’m referring to it as “my money” when the Bible makes it clear that everything we have is God’s. In fact, I think there’s an argument to be made that it is nearly impossible for a faithful Christian to become wealthy. Because, if your first priority is always being faithful to God with your resources, it’s unlikely they’d ever have time to accumulate. But you know what will? Blessings.

Prayer
God, help me to be faithful: to you; to my family; to my friends; to my work; in my whole life. Not so that I can gain rewards on earth, but so that I can experience the blessings you have set aside for me, whatever they may be. And help me to desire the enrichment of your kingdom, not of my own. Amen.

Author: Dave MacDonald