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OW TO ACQUIRE WEALTH (1)A Meditation on Proverbs 3:13-16; 22:4 & others
In 1991 a national survey was taken, and Americans were asked
what they would do for 10 million dollars. The survey revealed: 25% would abandon their family; 25% would abandon their church; 23% would become a prostitute for a week; 16% would give up their American citizenship; 16% would leave their spouse; 7% would commit murder (The Day America Told the Truth—an ironic title since the survey also revealed that most Americans don’t tell the truth—by James Paterson and Peter Kim). When it comes to money, we don’t want to be naïve about the impact it can exert upon our hearts.
In the Parable of the Soils, seed is sown upon four different types of soils, which represent the word of God being sown upon four different hearts. Jesus described those with the third heart this way: “They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mk. 4:18-19). What a tragedy! No fruit, no spiritual growth, because it was strangled to death by the deceitfulness of riches and materialism. So as we talk about how to acquire wealth, which is necessary even if we’re just trying to provide our families with the basic necessities of life, let’s keep in mind the dangers associated with wealth.
To acquire wealth proverbs exhorts us to fear God and live a righteous life. Some of you might be wondering, “Fear God and live a righteous life? I need to pay the bills this week, where’s the practical advice? Yes, I understand that fearing God and living righteously is essential for getting into heaven, but what about staying out of the poor house?” Don’t think like a Gnostic; don’t separate the spiritual from the material. Fearing God and living righteously results in numerous blessings—some spiritual, some material. “The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life” (Pro. 22:4). “The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked” (10:3). “What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted” (vs. 24). “In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked” (15:6). The Bible is clear that God often (not always) rewards the righteous God-fearer, not only with spiritual blessings, but also with material blessings. We don’t want to preach a prosperity gospel, yet at the same time we don’t want to overreact to such preaching and be unbiblical at the opposite end of the spectrum either. Practically speaking, this means that one of the best things you can do to help your small business prosper is to seek first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness every morning through Bible reading and prayer.
Another principle for acquiring wealth is to get wisdom, know-ledge and understanding. “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor” (3:13-16). Wisdom is better than wealth; yet acquiring wisdom usually results in acquiring some measure of wealth. In Proverbs 8 wisdom is personified as a woman, and she says, “Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness” (vs. 18). This may be stating the obvious, but to get wisdom and understanding one must learn to think well, to be diligent in studying. On one occasion a high school student was complaining about math. “Why am I studying this? I’ll never use this after high school.” I replied, “Maybe you won’t, but that doesn’t matter, because in the mean time you are learning to think well, and your mind is being stretched and strengthened.” And I could have added, “Such thinking will most likely benefit you financially some day.”
Third, we acquire wealth by tithing. “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine” (3:9-10). Studies have shown that 17% of Americans claim to tithe, but when you actually compare the giving to earning ratio, the results reveal that only 6% actually do tithe. As a result of this rampant disobedience our barns are empty and our wine cellars are bare. In the vernacular of the day, our labor is not being blessed; our paychecks are not what they might otherwise be. We are forfeiting blessings—spiritual and material—that God would like to bring our way. As the old adage goes, put your money where your mouth is. It’s one thing to say, “He is Lord”; it’s another to give him 10% of your income. And if we have to quibble about the net or the gross something is wrong.
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OW TO ACQUIRE WEALTH (2)A Meditation on Proverbs 3:13-16; 22:4 & others
Before we continue on with three more biblical principles for how to acquire wealth, let’s remember that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways. Many of the principles for acquiring wealth that are in the Bible will not be found in secular manuals for amassing your fortune. For example, they are completely oblivious to the connection between the fear of God and the finances of man. As in all areas of the Christian life, we are to live by faith and not by sight. How we go about acquiring our wealth is a good place to test ourselves to see whether or not we are living by faith. Clearly living by faith is not some ethereal requirement for the people of God that doesn’t relate to every day life.
A fourth principle for acquiring wealth is to be generous—especially toward the poor. “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Who-ever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (Pro. 11:24-25). John Bunyan stated it well, “There was a man, some thought mad, the more he gave the more he had.” God not only blesses us when we give to him, he also blesses us when we give to others.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus assumes we will give alms. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:2-4). When we give to the poor appropriately, which means quietly and secretly, God promises to reward us for our generosity. And there is no reason to over-spiritualize the reward of God.
Earlier I said that God rewards us when we give to him and when we give to others. This may be a false dichotomy, because when we give to others, especially to the poor or fellow Christians, we are giving to God himself. “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed” (Pro. 19:17). When God providentially places a poor person in our path, he is placing before us an opportunity for his blessing or his cursing. “Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse” (28:27). John Calvin took giving to the poor seriously. At his church they took two offerings every Lord’s Day. The first offering was tithes for the ministry of the church, and the second offering was for the poor and needy in their church and community. As Christians it would be great if we were known for our generosity. Besides, Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
I hope this next point for acquiring wealth is obvious—work hard. “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Pro. 10:4). We need to work hard—God’s way—which means not being greedy for gain in the process or walking over people in the cut-throat business world. When Abraham and Lot’s herdsmen starting fighting over the land, Abraham didn’t think that he had to use his authority or power to squash Lot so he could get ahead, rather he was gracious and let Lot have the land he wanted. I’m afraid that some-times we behave like little children. What happens when two kids come home from school, and there is only one cookie left on the plate? All out war, just like in the marketplace.
One of the best ways to get ahead at work is to please the boss. Who’s your boss? God is. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would for Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is slave or free” (Eph. 6:5-8). Regardless of your vocation you are serving the Lord, and he promises to pay you back for what you have done. This means that you don’t have to work obscene hours to acquire wealth. “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist” (Pro. 23:4). It is vain to rise early and go to bed late for more money (Ps. 127:2). Also, remember that in God’s economy, 6 days of work with his blessing will prove to be more profitable than 7 without it.
Finally, repent of all known sin. “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Pro. 28:13).
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