Wisdom and money

Money hard to live without it

Q: Do you think money makes the world go round like the old song says?

Q: Do you think that money can buy you happiness or joy?

Q: Do you think money would solve all your problems?

Q: OK, do you think money can cause you problems? why?

Q: Do you think that money can keep you from God’s blessings?

Q: Do you think that God has anything to say about money?

Introduction

People often have conflicting ideas/opinions about money:

Some say that it is sinful to be rich, that it is a virtue to be poor.

Many rely/count on money to give them security.

Bible speaks about money, about earning, spending, saving and giving, and yes, even wasting it too.

Proverbs speaks of things such as wealth/poverty, generosity and greed, those will be our focus in our topical look at Proverbs today.

Wealth and Poverty

Q: Simply what is the difference between wealth and poverty?

Q: Do you think wealth has its advantages?

Wealth has advantages:

It can give a degree of security

Pro10:15 “15 The rich man’s wealth is his fortress, The ruin of the poor is their poverty.”

Now look at

Pro18:11 “11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination.”

It can bring companionship and friends, some real, some not so real

Pro14:20 “20 The poor is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many.”

PR19:6 “6 Many will seek the favor of a generous man, And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.”

Money can have influence and a sense of power

Pro22:7 “7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

Money gives many the ability to speak more freely, openly

Pro18:23 “23 The poor man utters supplications, But the rich man answers roughly.”

Money, wealth does not provide everything though

Money cannot keep you from death

Pro10:2 “2 Ill-gotten gains do not profit, But righteousness delivers from death.”

and

Pro11:4 “4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.”

Q:It’s not money that delivers from death, what does?

Money can lead to fall when all trust is put in it

Pro11:28 “28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.”

Now onto the acquisition of wealth

Q: What are ways you think you can acquire money?

Money should be attained honestly

Pro13:11 “11 Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it.”

Better worked for than inherited

Pro20:21 “21 An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning Will not be blessed in the end.”

Better to gain overtime, and not with haste

Pro28:20 “20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.”

ill-gotten gains may bring temporary joy, but in the end will end in bitterness

Pro20:17 “17 Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.”

and

Pro21:5-6 “5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. 6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.”

Keep money/wealth in right perspective

Do for forget the rest of your life to overwork to earn it

Pro23:4 “4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.”

Remember it can come and it can go

Pro23:5 “5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.”

Money can be a blessing or a curse; Wisdom makes a huge difference

Regarding poverty

Q: What do you think poverty means?

I think we can all agree that some people are in poverty at no fault of their own.

Some people are impoverished because of the greed of others

Pro30:14 “14 There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.”

Or even by usury and extortion

Pro28:8 “8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.”

Now some are in poverty because of choices, lifestyles, sinful conduct

Laziness

Proverbs 6:6–8 NASB95

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, 8 Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.

pro6:9-11 “9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.”

Unwilling to listen or heed correction

Pro13:18 “18 Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, But he who regards reproof will be honored.”

Seeking, loving pleasure

Pro21:17 “17 He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.”

Drunkenness and gluttony

Proverbs 23:21 NASB95

21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

Then there is wasting it frivolously

PRo12:11 “11 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.”

Today, especially here in the West, we are blessed with relative wealth compared to most of the world. May we move on to our next point?

Generosity and Greed

Q: what does generosity mean?

Q: what about greed, what does that mean?

An expression of generosity

Giving to the poor

Pro28:27 “27 He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.”

Giving to God our first fruits

Pro3:10 “10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.”

True happiness, with the Lord as the benefactor, we must be generous.

Regarding Greed

Q: What does greed, or greedy mean?

Greed (N): intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food

Look what Proverbs has to say about it

It is, and brings about insatiable desires (like a leech)

Pro30:15-16 “15 The leech has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, “Enough”: 16 Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.””

It can bring about laziness

Pro21:25-26 “25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work; 26 All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back.”

There is danger to greed too

It can bring trouble’s to one’s self

Pro1:19 “19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors.”

Not only that, it can bring troubles upon someones family

Pro15:27 “27 He who profits illicitly troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.”

So, I guess this is all saying “don’t be greedy”

Drawing a proverbial conclusion

Proverbs shows us, tells us, reveals to us some wise things regarding money/wealth and poverty; It also speaks of generosity and greed.

These scriptures we have looked at today are only proverbial ones, there are many other times in scripture when money is mentioned.

Proverbs also tells us with the hand, the blessings of the Lord when it comes to wealth

We know true wealth, worthy wealth comes from honest word, honest labor

We also can know that generosity comes from a compassionate, merciful heart

we must not be arrogant or abusive if we have been materially blessed and get prideful either

May we remember

Pro22:2 “2 The rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all.”

Q: what are you walking away with today?