Pray:
Lord, I desire to walk in Your wisdom, the perspective of eternity. Teach me to walk in Your ways.
Read:
Proverbs 10:1-32
Reflect:
Which proverb is speaking to you personally?
This passage reminds us of the deceitfulness of wealth. It may be "ill-gotten" (2), acquired via violence (6,11), crooked paths (9), and deceit (18,19,31). Ultimately, such fraudsters will face the music (16,25,27), their hopes coming to nothing (28,29, 30).
Positively, the Lord may prosper his people materially, even in days of double-dip recessions. Wealth then becomes incidental to our relationship with God as we accept his commands, speak wisely, and remain open to correction (8,13,17). However, we must not reduce our financial well-being to a magical formula, "pennies from heaven," since God, not money, is our ultimate refuge (29). However, the Lord does reward diligence and hard work (4,5,22). His blessing may add years to our lives while it is also preparing us for eternity (25,27).
Is material poverty a mark of divine displeasure, then? It may be, if it is self-engineered through laziness (4,5). Usually, however, life is more complex: unemployment, international markets, bad health, and so on. Some of the "richest" Christians are "poor in the eyes of the world" (Jas. 2:5).
Apply:
Consider which area the Lord is addressing in you: attitude to money, laziness, or willingness to receive correction.
Pray:
Father, Your ways are right and good. Those who walk in them walk in Your blessings.
