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Day 172 Proverbs 18:11 Proverbs 18:11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit. What is the mindset of a person with a lot of wealth? Of course, it depends on the personality of the person. Most often they are portrayed as someone who hides behind the walls of their lavish homes, and when they do go out in public they surround themselves with bodyguards. Having wealth also goes to their heads and fills them with conceit. Solomon was the wealthiest person of his time. No other king of any kingdom came close to the wealth he possessed. People also have this idea that Christians aren’t to be wealthy and have great possessions because Jesus told the people to lay up their treasures in heaven where it won’t decay. That doesn’t mean you are to live in poverty. Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (KJV) The kind of treasure you are supposed to lay up or store in heaven is the Word of God. There is no treasure equal to it. However, you are to use your wealth for the sake of the gospel. You are to give to the poor and needy. You cannot do that if you do not have the means to do so. Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (KJV) Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. (KJV) You can’t do any of what Jesus or Paul said, if you don’t have the means to do so. Solomon knew that wealth wasn’t bad, but it was in the way a person handled his wealth that made it bad. If you hoard it and go about with vain conceit because of how much you have, you are not doing what needs to be done – giving to those in need. Let’s pray: Father, help me give to those who need, not hoarding what you have given me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 27 February 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay