YOU CAN BE RICH AND YET BE MISERABLE (PART 2)
"Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." - Prov 23:4-5 (KJV)
Those who wear out themselves, trying to get rich have no understanding. The Bible cautions them to cease from their own wisdom, or to restrain themselves. This is so because "Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder." (Prov 23:4-5 MSG) If only they knew that labouring to get wealth would end up with regrets, they wouldn't endeavor to do so.
Those that labour to get wealth do so probably because they have no understanding of what life consists of. As a result, they allow themselves to be driven by the inordinate desire for wealth which is the bane of so many men.
"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).
In other words, riches are no true representation of a man's state before God. The story of Lazarus and the rich man in Lk 16:19-31, should have taught us better. I'm not in any way glorifying poverty. No, a thousand times, no! The Bible says that God delights in the prosperity of His servant. The question is, to what end is your wealth? The truth is that should one's wealth not have a bearing to God's cause and that of humanity, then it becomes a misdirection of purpose; and God's delight cannot be in it.
The parable of the rich fool in Lk 12:16-21 best illustrates this point. In that parable, God didn’t call the rich man a fool because he was rich, after all it is God that gives power to get wealth (Deut 8:18). Besides, like I said earlier, God delights in the prosperity of His servant. Again, God didn’t call him a fool because he was creative. Is God Himself not the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Neither did God call him a fool because he was influential. Are influential people not needed and helpful in our societies today?
God called him a fool because he neglected God who gave him ability, strength and power to get wealth (Deut 8:18). Rather, he was focused on consuming his harvest on himself. He neglected God and his soul. The Bible says that he was "not rich toward God." (Luke 12:21)
The true way to increase riches with peace and ultimate security is to have the Lord in contemplation with your riches. The one who doesn't do that is definitely on the same page as the Biblical rich fool. Troubles, miseries and weeping will be attendant to such lives (Jam 5:1-3) and at the end, he will be a fool (Jer 17:11; Lk 12:20)
Learn to give back to God what He's blessed you with. This is the secret of the righteous to good life and increase in wealth. The moment you can convince God through making yourself available as the channel for the distribution of His blessing, He will increase and multiply your wealth. God repays not according to the proportion of your giving, but in thirty, sixty or a hundred fold. The Bible says that,
"The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped." (Prov 11:25 MSG). Again, It is said that,
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." (Prov 19:17 KJV)
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, I submit unto You my life and all that You have blessed me with. I lay down my wealth for Your service; so help me Father, in Jesus name.