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What Is Wealth?

Proverbs 22-24

I am constantly reminded that God’s sense of wealth is different from man’s sense of wealth.  I was again reminded of this in the first few verses of today’s reading.

Proverbs 22:1-4

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is the maker of them all.
The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.”

So obviously we have the fact that from God’s perspective a good name is greater than great riches and favor better than silver or gold.  This concept is not a winner from man’s perspective is it?  Much of the political turmoil over the past couple hundred years, if not all of human history, has actually been over riches; material stuff.  The principles of “Capitalism” have been around since the first caveman traded a rabbit for a stick of fire.  As an economic theory it was individuals like Adam Smith and John Locke that wrote of capitalism as a preferable mode of economic life for nations.  At about the same time, it was individuals such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire who wrote of “social justice”; the economic theory that planted the seeds of socialism, communism, and progressivism.

These are very different views of wealth.  Those that worship at the shrine of “capitalism” believe private property is good if all are afforded equal opportunity to obtain it by their own efforts.  Those that worship at the altar of “social justice” believe that private property is bad and that no one should have more stuff than anyone else.  This is their view of justice.  Both are extremely materialistic philosophies.  I have heard it said that religion is the cause of most wars.  This is absurd on its face, of course.  It doesn’t take a history major to know that most wars were started for economic reasons.  Far more people have died under the Socialist/Communist banner than have ever died under a Christian banner.

Regardless, God tells us that He made both rich and poor.  The question is what does He view as rich and poor?  We keep arguing about stuff.  This guy has less than that guy; it isn’t fair.  Do you really think God cares about how much stuff we have?  No, He does not.  He does, however, care about how we use the stuff He has placed in our care.  You see it all belongs to Him.  You will see throughout the Bible, and certainly in today’s reading, that God expects those whom He has blessed with material wealth to consider the poor.

Do you see what God sees but man seems to miss?  You can’t force people to be good.  You can’t force them to do the right thing.  If stuff were the issue and God wanted us all to have the same stuff He would have ensured that we all have the same stuff.  Stuff is not what it is all about; right relationship with Him is what it is all about.  If you want to see a world with no poor then you better start telling the lost about Jesus.  Passing laws and taking from this guy to give to that guy just isn’t going to get the job done.  There is no social justice without the changed heart that comes with Jesus.  There will always be wars and poor as long as men have self-centered hearts.  Man cannot do the kind of heart transplant required to end self-centeredness; only Christ can do this.

You want to change the world?  Tell the world about Jesus!  You want social justice?  Tell the world about Jesus!  The terms rich and poor are meaningless in man’s terms.  God does expect His stewards to care for the hungry, hurt, and dying.  This includes the meeting of their physical needs, but far more importantly it is about their spiritual needs.  In God’s eyes those without Jesus are destitute.  It is the lost who are truly poor no matter how much money they possess.  When Christ returns the elect will be like Christ.  We will treat each other as God always intended.  We will view wealth with God’s eyes and the filthy pittance we once chased while on the old earth will look as pathetic as it really is.

Brothers, help the truly poor.  Share Jesus with them!

Have a generous day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!