Walking with the Wise #181: Use Your Wealth!

“The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,

but the rich has many friends.”
—Proverbs 14:20

Being wealthy has its perks. The Bible tells us to beware of the love of money, but rarely does it tell us about the blessings that money brings. Proverbs are general truths, which means that the circumstance, situation, or life lesson in which this proverb describes is most generally accurate.

As Christians, we are to be on guard from the love of money, while at the same time using our money to advance God’s kingdom. Our proverb states that his neighbor dislikes a poor man—not that poverty is intrinsically bad, but that his poverty in some way affects his neighbor. The neighbor sees no benefit of befriending him, or of getting close to him. But a rich man has many friends because they believe that they can get something from his wealth.

Jesus talked about how we are to use wealth in what is known as the Parable of the Dishonest Manager in Luke 16:1-13,

“He also said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.” And the manager said to himself, “What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.” So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, “How much do you owe my master?” He said, “A hundred measures of oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.” Then he said to another, “And how much do you owe?” He said, “A hundred measures of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill, and write eighty.” The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.’”

If God has blessed you with wealth, use it to further the Kingdom of God. Just as Jesus said, “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Try and help the poor and less fortunate, fund missionaries, help pastors, mission agencies, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, and prisoner rehabilitation programs. Use your wealth for God’s glory, making sure to give cheerfully “for God loves a cheerful giver”—2 Corinthians 9:7. Amen.