GOD WILL ENRICH YOU GREATLY

Command those who are RICH in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who GIVES US RICHLY ALL THINGS TO ENJOY” (1Tim.6:17).

God gives us richly all things to enjoy. Riches generally refer to wealth, abundance, surplus supply of needs, or whatever may promote our comfort, welfare or happiness. There are however two broad kinds of riches: false and true riches. False riches are mainly earthly or worldly, and often deceptive, uncertain, and not to be trusted. The wise man said, “He who trusts in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch” (Pro.11:28). The Psalmist warns: “…if riches increase, set not your heart on them” (Psa.62:10).

Though earthly riches are not inherently evil, scriptures offer much caution. We can learn from the example of King Solomon about the vanity of earthly riches, and what it means to not trust in temporal treasures (Eccl.2:1-6). Matthew 13:22 and Mark 4:19 refer to the “deceitfulness of riches” which tend to choke the rooting of God’s Word in the human heart. The Lord Jesus Christ warns us to “beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of what he possesses” (Lk.12:15). He also said: “how hard it is for those who TRUST IN RICHES to enter into the kingdom of God!” (Mk.10:24b).

Is God then against riches? Certainly not! In fact, He desires to enrich us abundantly, especially with true heavenly riches. These are the never-failing, eternal riches of redemption, which are not subject to moth, rust and thieves (Mt.6:19-20). Even so, God is not against the possession of money, wealth, and material riches. The balanced biblical viewpoint is the notion of ‘Contentment’: “having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1Tim.6:8). This by no means labels riches as evil. Rather, they must never become the object of our life’s pursuit or our source of confidence, strength or trust.

Our meditation verse aptly captures this truth: we are to not “TRUST in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who GIVES US RICHLY all things to enjoy” (1Tim.6:17). It is a question of whether we TRUST GOD or trust the riches he blesses us with. We can possess money and earthly riches but must never be possessed by them. God gives us ALL THINGS RICHLY TO ENJOY. And again, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS?” (Rom.8:32). God is a generous Giver. There is no problem with Him giving out of His unlimited treasures. We can be trusting and responsive receivers. We can learn to enjoy divine enrichment by faith.