WEALTH

Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever – Psalm 112:3

What is your perspective to Wealth? Is wealth worldly or godly; holy or demonic? Does wealth enhance or erode righteousness? Do the blessings of the Lord include or exclude wealth? What is God’s Mind about Wealth? Interestingly, His Word says a great deal about wealth, riches, honour, silver, and gold! The Bible teaches that wealth matters! It takes power for you to get wealth. God actually gives “power to get wealth” (Dt.8:18). Wealth is also transmutable into power. Wealth generates power. Affluence produces influence: “Wealth makes many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend” (Pro.19:4). Wealth gives leverage in life: “the rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty” (Pro.10:15; 18:11).

Notwithstanding the importance of wealth, the Bible’s greater emphasis is on God giving wealth rather than man struggling to amass or accumulate: “As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor – this is the gift of God” (Ecc.5:19). In addition, it matters a great deal how you get wealth. God’s Word consistently warns the Wealthy. Here are few of such warnings:

• “Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him” (Psa.49:6-7). Trust in wealth will disappoint; and wealth cannot purchase redemption.

• “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death” (Pro.10:2). Avoid treasures of wickedness!

• “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Pro.13:11). It matters how you gather.

• “An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end” (Pro.20:21). Wealth should be ever blessed – both at the beginning and at the end.

• “Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven” (Pro. 23:5). Temporal riches and material wealth are ephemeral and fleeting. Wealth is best viewed with eternal lens.

• The worldly wealthy “swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly” (Job 20:15).

What is the use of riches that cannot endure or be enjoyed? Many people have such riches today that on face-value appear successful, but from God’s perspective are standing on quicksand, on slippery ground. Sooner than later, their false foundations would give way and they’ll be entrapped in the web of the same “things” which presently seem to give them pleasure and satisfaction (Psalm 73: 2-19). In one of his musings, Job – a man who tasted both wealth and penury – pondered why the wicked sometimes become wealthy, mighty in power, and established in safety and prosperity (Job 21:7-13). He however concluded that: “they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave” (v.13). He discovered that their wealth could not bribe, buy or bar death? Job reflected on such a man who “dies in the bitterness of his soul, never having eaten with pleasure. They lie down alike in the dust, and worms cover them” (v.25-26). Wealth cannot keep worms away! Wealth is useless beyond the grave!

This is not to paint wealth in the color of evil. God gives us “richly all things (including riches and wealth) to enjoy.” He is not against His children enjoying riches, wealth or material prosperity (Pro.10:22). God not only gives riches and wealth, but also the power (ability, grace, good health) to enjoy them as well as the joy (fulfillment, satisfaction) in all our labor. Therefore, material prosperity, durable riches, and wealth are significant aspects of success on earth. We must however avoid the error of considering them as ends in themselves. The best wealth is God-given; that which comes for the fulfilment of divine purpose and establishment of His covenant: “It is He that gives you power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant” (Dt.8:18).