Riches

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool (Proverbs 19:1).

The world’s philosophy is to get as many riches and as much power as possible without going to jail. OK, maybe that is on the extreme end of worldliness, but the underlying principle is worldliness.

Jesus told the rich young ruler, who wanted eternal life, One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me (Mark 10:21). Unfortunately, that man went away sad. Then Jesus made this statement, How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:23)!

Why is this true? It is true because, No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Matthew 6:24).

The key word in the verse above is “serve”. No man can serve two masters because he will have a divided loyalty. The problem is not the amount of money or wealth involved as is the love of it. When Jesus told the rich ruler to sell all he possessed, He exposed the ruler's heart. He loved his money, his master, more than God.

Notice in the Proverbs passage above, the poor man walks in his integrity. Riches will often ask for compromise. See then . . . those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

And, know this, the issue is not how much money you have, because a poor man can love money. The issue is what your heart values most. So, do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

Father, give us this day our daily bread and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.