June 4
Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. (11: 28)
GREED DESTABILIZES.
As we will see later, the Bible is not against wealth creation or profit. What, then, is greed? We saw yesterday that one sign of a greedy heart is that it puts wealth before moral principle. Another mark of a greedy heart is that it does not merely enjoy wealth but has come to trust in it. Job claims that to say to money, “You are my security,” is a grave sin (Job 31: 24– 28).
Some trust wealth for safety in this world. Others trust it for a sense of significance and worth. But these are things only God can give us. What is the result? The greedy will fall, a Hebrew word that means to fall to one’s death. Why? If God’s love is the basis of your self-image, then when the inevitable financial downturn or business failure occurs, you will be grieved. But these ups and downs will be far more devastating if your very self is tied to the level of your prosperity. Greed destabilizes your life. Only God is completely reliable (22: 19). And only Jesus— and his salvation— is true treasure (Colossians 2: 3).
Q. What do you tend to trust money for— security, power, acceptance by others, control?
Prayer:
Lord, I see people who are trusting in money but blind to it. How, then, do I know that I am not doing this too? Help me to dare to look at my heart and talk to my closest friends in order to discern my real spiritual attitude toward money. Amen.
Keller, Timothy; Keller, Kathy. God's Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs (Kindle Locations 2881-2894). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.