Walking with the Wise #67: Blessed to Bless

“The blessing of the LORD makes rich,

and He adds no sorrow with it.”
—Proverbs 10:22

Wealth is a great illusion. It can disappear in a moment; therefore, one must have a proper understanding of wealth—how it is gained, maintained, used, depended on, and most of all, understood. Because the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (cf. 1 Timothy 6:10), we must endeavor to understand its place and use properly. God is the one who has given us the ability to have and make wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). And as this proverb makes clear, God is the center of establishing ones wealth. However, there is a type of wealth that can be acquired by wickedness, but it is accompanied by sorrow, paranoia, greed, and a host of other evils. That kind of wealth is fleeting, elusive, and never gives contentment. But the wealth that comes while living a righteous life, and is understood within the parameters of blessing brings no sorrow. Instead, there is contentment, as well as the understanding of stewardship, as the money is used to help others in need (cf. Ephesians 4:28).

Are you relying on wealth? You may not feel you are wealthy, but you are. In comparison with the rest of the world, you are wealthy. The fact that you can read this right now, that you are on a computer, and have access to copious amounts of information demonstrates how wealthy you are. We are rich because God has blessed us. Francis Chan, in his wonderful book Crazy Love, wrote about wealth:

“If one hundred people represented the world’s population, fifty-three of those would live on less than $2 a day. Do you realize that if you make $4,000 a month, you automatically make one hundred times more than the average person on this planet? Simply by purchasing this book, you spent what a majority of people in the world will make in a week’s time.

Which is more messed up—that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don’t think we’re rich? That on any given day we might flippantly call ourselves ‘broke’ or ‘poor’? We are neither of these things. Wue are rich. Filthy rich”—Francis Chan, Crazy Love, p. 86.

Do you have God’s perspective on wealth? Are you using it for His glory? Are you using it to help others? Remember, it’s God’s money, not yours. He has given it to you to bless you, not so that you would forget Him, but so that you might delight in Him more and use it so others might also know who He is.

May God enable us to find our contentment in Him, using the wealth He has given us for His glory so that others might come to the saving knowledge of who He is and what He has done in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.