Proverbs 10

Right off the bat, there will be some who are uncomfortable with the title of this blog. On the other hand, there will be some who wholeheartedly agree—and even believe (as Jews in the first century did) that monetary wealth is a direct sign of God’s favor. But wherever you fall on the spectrum, verse 22 from today’s chapter must have caught your eye: “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.”

Every so often, Americans go crazy buying lottery tickets for a chance to win the humongous Mega Millions lottery jackpot. Typically, these jackpots are in the hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s hard for me to even imagine that much money or what I’d do with it if I suddenly had it in the bank.

Is that the kind of wealth Solomon is talking about? Does the blessing of the Lord bring monetary wealth? Always? Ever? It is interesting to see where Christians land on the issue of God and wealth. Some act like poverty is an indicator of spiritual purity. I recently read a comment from a Christian pastor that said the main call of God’s Kingdom was to “sell all you have and give it to the poor.” I had to ask myself, was that really the main point of Jesus’s life and ministry? To get us to reject everything material and live under a bridge? On the other hand, many Christians today act like riches are a barometer of God’s blessing. (Or haven’t you heard of the so-called “prosperity gospel”?)

I wonder if either approach really gets at the heart of the truth regarding God and wealth, though. I mean, Jesus once told a rich young man to sell all he had and give it to the poor (Mk 10). But, if that was the thrust of God’s Kingdom, why didn’t He agree with the men who complained that expensive perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor (Matt 26)? Or why didn’t He also tell Zaccheus (when Zaccheus announced that he would give half of his possessions to the poor) that giving all of his possessions to the poor was what was required (Lk 19)? 1 Timothy 6:10 says that “the love of money is the root of all evil.” I think some Christians today have subtly dropped the “love of” part of that text, preferring to declare instead that “money is the root of all evil.” On the other hand, we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss the perils of wealth. I doubt Jesus would have said that it is difficult for rich people to enter God’s Kingdom (Matt 19) if it wasn’t true.

To me, the issue when it comes to God and wealth is where your heart is. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:19-21)

God wants us to have the things that money can’t buy, the kind of wealth that can’t be acquired through painful toil. This is why I believe it’s so dangerous to put our trust in money itself. For money and material wealth can never bring us the riches God truly wants to give—the riches I believe Solomon is talking about in Proverbs 10:22. “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” That may sometimes mean monetary wealth, but I think it always means spiritual wealth. For whatever form God’s blessings may take, they always come with peace, comfort, and confidence.

If I am monetarily poor and I trust in God, then I am rich! If I am monetarily rich and I trust in God, then I am rich! If I am monetarily poor and I don’t trust in God, then I am poor! If I am monetarily rich and I don’t trust in God, then I am poor! In God’s eyes, wealth and poverty are not a description of our bank account, but a description of our relationship with Him.

God wants us to be rich—truly rich! Are you?