Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 200: Desire More Than Wealth

Good morning, everyone!

I'm more than halfway through my RBY challenge this year! Yay!

Today I read Proverbs 22-23. I won't go over all of it, but I do want to share a few verses today.

Proverbs 22:1 - A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold.

Wealth is fleeting, but a name of good reputation lasts. And the good opinion of God is to be desired more than anything.

Proverbs 22:4 - The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, honor, and life.

Now, we may not see the riches here on earth. God doesn't promise to make us rich in this life. He promises that we will always have what we need, and that whatever we ask within His will, He will do. But in our eternal life with Him, we will be wealthy, honorable, eternal citizens of God's kingdom.

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart form it.

We should teach our children about God, His love, and His commandments while they are young. Then, when they are old, even if they appear to go astray for a time, they will remember God's word, and He will draw them back.

Proverbs 23:1-3 - When you sit down with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for it is a deceptive food.

Now, I'm not entirely sure what Solomon meant by this, but I want to tell you what I got from it, particularly the last bit.

Just because someone is a ruler, just because they have great wealth, doesn't mean what they have is good in the eyes of God. So, do not covet what they have, for their riches are deceptive. Rather, we should desire the things of God, even if they don't make us rich and powerful in the eyes of the world. Desiring the things of the world can be dangerous to us. It can even cut us off from the life God desires to give us.

Proverbs 23:4-5 - Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Now, this is not to say that we shouldn't work hard. But wealth should not be our main goal. If we work so hard in an effort to become wealthy that we neglect everything else - God, church, family, friends - then we are not doing what we are supposed to do.

In fact, I once read a book that put things in this order:

1. God
2. Family
3. Ministry
4. Everything else

God first. Family second (I include friends here too). Ministry third. Then everything else, work included.

Now, that's not to say that we should miss work. But we should be careful to get our priorities right. If your boss asks you to do something God wouldn't approve of, or your spouse would disagree with, you shouldn't do it; if work takes up time we should be devoting to God, family, or ministry, it's time to reevaluate priorities.

Okay. That's all for today. I hope you enjoyed today's post, just as I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Proverbs 24-26.