Money For Nothing

Day Thirty-Four

Money For Nothing (Read Proverbs 13:7-11)

"Money comes and goes, but your inner feelings, your gut feelings, your manhood, your womanhood, whatever, that stays with you. That don't go anywhere. So you either proud of who you are and how you handle situations or you not. If you handle a situation wrong, you, it will haunt you." ~ Ice Cube

In the vast tapestry of human experience, wealth and poverty are not merely economic states but profound conditions that shape our lives, values, and worldviews. Wisdom, often regarded as the culmination of knowledge, experience, and insight, offers a unique lens through which we can examine these contrasting realities. She invites us to explore the tangible benefits of wealth—such as financial security, access to opportunities, and enhanced quality of life—and the profound implications of poverty, which often engenders a cycle of disadvantage that can stifle potential and undermine well-being. By examining the practical advantages of wealth through a wise perspective, we can appreciate its role in fostering growth, freedom, and self-actualization. Conversely, a wise understanding of poverty allows us to recognize its detrimental effects on individuals and communities, urging us to seek solutions that address systemic inequities.

Take a moment for honest reflection.

• How has the pursuit of money shaped your character?
• How has financial status shaped how you treat others?
• How does the urgency for financial stability influence your relationship with God?
• Based on Proverbs, what does wisdom predict about your destiny on earth and in eternity regarding financial well-being?

⁷ Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
    others who are rich pretend to be poor.

⁸ The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
    but the poor won't even get threatened.

⁹ The life of the godly is full of light and joy,
    but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

¹⁰ Pride leads to conflict;
    those who take advice are wise.

¹¹ Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
    wealth from hard work grows over time.

⁷ Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor (Proverbs 13:7).

Here is another example of the extreme self-centeredness that we all possess. If we are poor, we want to put up a front to keep up with the Joneses. We pretend to have more than we have. Some people drive vehicles they can't afford to impress people they don't know or will ever know. Some live in neighborhoods they cannot afford; they are considered “house poor.”

On the other hand, some people are very wealthy but always talk about how poor they are. Many well-off people in the world give less than anyone else. They are concerned about inflation and how much things cost. They say they’ll be broke soon if things don't improve.

Both positions are deemed hypocritical by God. We pretend to be something we’re not, and it’s foolish and unnecessary. As one bible commentator put it, “We don't need to try to keep up with the Joneses; neither should act as if we don't even know the Joneses. We should treat them as neighbors, and then we ought to be just what we are.” There is no shame in having accumulated wealth, but how it influences our character and relationship with God and our neighbors (everyone is a neighbor) is a different story.

¹¹ Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time, Proverbs 13:11).

Wisdom’s warning here has both earthly and eternal consequences. She is not saying you can’t make money fast; she is suggesting the likelihood is we’ll squander our earnings before the sun rises the next day. Lastly, she points out that living for our self-interest and avoiding God’s ambitions in this life on earth will follow us into eternity. The pursuit of worldly wealth and acceptance in this life separates us from God, and it will cause us to be separated forever in the hereafter.

Please don’t let your selfish desires for power, glory, and prestige separate you from the best life ever on earth and in heaven.

May God bless your hearing, understanding, and application of today's wisdom.