Thursday, September 3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

"Who loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless....

"The sleep of a laborer is sweet
whether he eats little or much,
but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep."

(Ecclesiastes 5:10,12)


"He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and he who gives gifts to the rich -- both come to poverty."

(Proverbs 22:16)


Solomon's wisdom on finances appears in both Ecclesiastes and Proverbs today. In each verse highlighted above, the undertone speaks to our attitudes about money -- and how those attitudes bring us closer or farther from true wealth.

While Ecclesiastes provides many insights on life, sometimes striking us as jaded, it does highlight that this earthly life involves many challenges. Ultimately, our heavenly reward awaits, but this life will have physical, emotional, and relational pain. While Solomon concludes frequently that "this too is meaningless" in several places, it does appear that he often speaks about those "meaningless" items in isolation. That is, were we to focus on something "meaningless," we could become consumed (to the negative) about it.

Even with "our" money, the Scriptures clearly teach that we should have a God- and others-oriented attitude. Proverbs extols the reward of generosity: "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25) "The generous themselves will be blessed, for they share their food with the poor." (Proverbs 22:9) Generosity appears to unlock the reward of greater closeness and refreshment from God.

I will close with an extended reflection from A. W. Tozer's "The Pursuit of God," in a chapter on the "The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing." In it, he explains how Abraham found true riches in his willingness to sacrifice even his own son, Isaac:

"Now he was a man wholly surrendered, a man utterly obedient, a man who possessed nothing. He had concentrated his all in the person of his dear son, and God had taken it from him.

"God could have begun out on the margin of Abraham's life and worked inward to the center; He chose rather to cut quickly to the heart and have it over in one sharp act of separation. In dealing thus He practiced an economy of means and time. It hurt cruelly, but it was effective.

"I have said that Abraham possessed nothing. Yet was not this poor man rich? Everything he had owned before was his still to enjoy: sheep, camels, herds, and goods of every sort. He had also his wife and his friends, and best of all he had his son Isaac safe by his side. He had everything, but he possessed nothing.

"There is the spiritual secret.

"There is the sweet theology of the heart which can be learned only in the school of renunciation. The books on systematic theology overlook this, but the wise will understand."


Lord God, give us wisdom and generosity of spirit so that we may refresh and bless others. Extend our resources so that our gifts may "live beyond their means." Bring clarity to our minds about our finances and our attitudes towards You and others. In Jesus's Name, amen.


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