(This devotion comes a day early because tomorrow will be quite full. We praise God because my lovely wife Danielle will be graduating from law school!)
Today's proverbs discuss wealth, attitudes towards the poor, and diligence. Clearly, there are no get-rich-quick schemes here, as we learn that the rewards to diligence come over a lifetime, not a matter of minutes. It is helpful to remember that all wealth and work are ultimately for God's glory and honor: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23,24)
1. Dedication to applying what we have on God's behalf.
"Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine." (3:9,10)
This proverbs speaks clearly to the importance of designating the "firstfruits of all your crops" in order to "honor the LORD with your wealth." Oftentimes, we struggle with this concept and choose to give God "what's left over." Yet, as the Maker and Giver of all good gifts, God rightfully deserves the first part of anything we would receive. God has merely entrusted treasure, talent, and time to us, and we serve as His willing stewards. As we see in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the "faithful" stewards or managers looked out for their master's interests, even when he was physically absent. In a similar way, we are to honor the Lord with our treasure, talents, and time. Each of these gifts are fleeting, but, when we invest them for godly and eternal purposes, we can be sure of a healthy return on investment.
2. Lifting up the poor.
"Rich and poor have this in common:
The LORD is Maker of them all." (22:2)
"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." (14:31)
These proverbs appeal to the knowledge that God has indeed created every person, and, because He has blessed His creation as "very good," we know that He values each person. As David writes in Psalm 139:14, we are each "fearfully and wonderfully made." Most likely, oppressing the poor arises out of a combination of 1) selfish ambition and 2) belief that the poor are somehow less valuable. Our self-protective hearts often stand in judgment against those less fortunate, assigning blame to them for their difficulties. Yet, as we study poverty, we recognize that it is not just the lack of material possessions, but rather a wide net of oppressive attitudes and patterns of limitation. The U.S. is gratefully an "equal opportunity" place, but many people cannot realize their potential because they have no conception of what the opportunities are!
In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus announces His mission and includes the truth that
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Bringing good news to the poor means more than merely avoiding oppression. Instead, it means an active engagement and consideration of what we may do (through giving and going) to "preach good news to the poor... [and] proclaim freedom for the prisoners." God has blessed the church enough so that its generosity could overcome the forces of poverty. It may cost us something, but the rewards on this investment often lead to the advance of the Kingdom.
3. Hard work.
"He who works his land will have abundant food,
but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." (12:11)
"Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in slave labor." (12:24)
"One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys." (18:9)
While it is important to take time to rest, diligence should mark the life and work of the Christ-follower. How can you continue to grow in your productivity and impact? What should you be learning?
QUESTIONS
1. How are you handling the apportionment of your treasure, talents, and time? What portion is God receiving? How might you better give Him the "firstfruits" so as to "honor the LORD with your wealth"?
2. How do you see yourself "preach[ing] good news to the poor... [and] proclaim[ing] freedom for the prisoners?" What can you start doing about it this week?
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