Walk Of Life – Day 10, August 2021 – Thoughts From The Book Of Proverbs – Right Attitude
Right Attitude To Be Rich
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. – Proverbs 10:22
Hannah, in prayer, pointed out, “The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.”
And there is Deuteronomy 8 – “For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Abraham’s servant wisely assessed, “The LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.”
When God blesses a man to be rich, He also gives contentment, happiness, and peace, which amounts to a double blessing. Ordinarily, riches bring a measure of fear, greed, guilt, hoarding, labor, pride, vanity, or worry. Wealth can be more trouble than good. But the blessed God of heaven is able to give riches without their attendant sorrows.
Read this rich king’s comparisons. “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Pr 15:16). “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith” (Pr 15:17). “Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit” (Eccl 4:6). Poverty can be better!
Some men get rich as a result of time and chance – not from diligence, skill, strength, or wisdom (Ec 9:11). Of course, God rules all time and chance (Pr 16:33; Eccl 7:14). Some men are cursed with riches. Pharaoh is a great example (Ex 9:16). And it is called the prosperity of fools, when God blesses a fool with riches to deceive other fools (Pr 1:32). In both cases God arranged riches to increase, but He did not provide lasting joy or peace.
Promotion comes from the Lord (Ps 75:6-7). When God promotes a man to be rich as a blessing, He is kind enough to also give that man the spiritual gifts to be content, happy, generous, and secure in his wealth (Eccl 2:24,26; 3:13; 5:18-19). Such men are not dependent on their wealth, and they would be just as happy if it all went away from them. In fact, these men happily scatter their wealth by giving it to the poor (I Tim 6:17-19).
What is the right attitude? Ambition without God’s blessing will fail (Ps 127:1). Riches bring trouble, so it is dangerous to desire them (Pr 23:4-5; I Tim 6:6-10). The only wealth you want is by God’s blessing, for He gives contentment and peace with it (Ec 5:19; Ps 4:7). A happy and successful life requires more than riches (Pr 16:16; 17:1; 28:6). While the wicked eat the bread of sorrows, the righteous man sleeps sweetly (Ps 127:2; Ec 5:12).
