Articles
Proverbs And Wealth
This article is mainly the text of various proverbs. I have added enough words to connect and frame the various thoughts. I chose to leave the capital letters at the beginning of each proverb, thus the rather strange format.
Proverbs and wealth
Being rich or poor is not what relates you to God for "The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all" (22:2). Thus "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it" (15:16). Wisdom then tells us that "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways" (28:6).
Riches DO provide advantages. Some of these advantages are good and some are evil. "A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin" (10:15). "A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination" (18:11). "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender" (22:7).
Dangers are ever present because riches tend to corrupt godliness, kindness, generosity. So we are warned that "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf" (11:28). Such unkindness and haughtiness is seen when " The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly" (18:23).
Riches bring false friends! Indeed: " The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends" (14:20). So while "Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend" (19:4). "Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them" (19:6-7).
The desire to get riches often produces ungodliness. "Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor" (28:8). Riches in and of themselves (and the lifestyle that it often brings) doesn't satisfy the hearts need nor last. We are taught "Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven" (23:4-5). "A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong. A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him" (28:20-22).
Learning to USE wealth is difficult. Most people just increase their spending as they increase the income. "Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it" (21:20). Receiving an inheritance or winning the lottery bring much wealth but little wisdom on how to manage it. Thus we see that "Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it" (13:11). Most people leave God out of their money plans but it is better to "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine" ( 3:9-10).
Wealth does not protect from judgment. "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death" (11:4). In all your getting, get wisdom for "How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver" (16:16).
