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

God is not against people becoming wealthy.  There are people in the history of the Bible who became wealthy because of God's specific blessing upon them.  So God is not "anti-wealth" as some people would suppose.  But, He is concerned with how people view money and wealth - and to be more specific how they pursue it.  That is where the real danger lies.

Don't weary yourself to gain wealth.  There is the first principle God puts before us.  The word weary means to become weary with work.  It indicates that the person is putting forth great effort and exhausting exertion to try to accomplish something.  It should probably be noted here that God is for hard work.  He wants us to work hard at the things we do.  He wants us to offer excellence and effort to our jobs and in the things we do for Him and for others.  The Lord is not encouraging laziness here.  He is saying that those who put forth exhausting labor with the ultimate goal being to become wealthy are focusing on the wrong goal.  I remember working at UPS in Seminary and watching one of my supervisors live this way.  His goal in life was to work so hard when he is young, that he could retire when he was 45 as a millionaire.  This poor guy was always at work.  He had a wife and a couple of kids - but from the way he spoke of them to us - they were just obstacles to him getting where he wanted to go.  I've watched men like this who labor so hard to become rich.  They reach their goal - but find out that the loss of their marriage and the fact that their kids have no respect for them - costs far more than the millions they have to spend in their old age. 

Proverbs tells us next that we are to cease from our consideraton of becoming wealthy.  An interesting word is used for "consideration" here.  It means to think hard about something.  The result of this thinking should be a proper discernment of it.  But according to what is being said here God is warning us against making wealth the thing we consider and think hard about in life.  There are those who constantly chase the illusive goal of being rich.  They read books about it - they listen to tapes that promise them the way to get there - they listen to radio shows that promise them that if they do what this man says - they'll be rich.  There is even a "chrisitanized" version of this thinking.  The health/wealth/prosperity teaching promises that God Himself is nothing but a divine sugar daddy.  If we treat Him right - and confess the right things - we'll be rich!  Wonder how that works for persecuted Christians behind the bamboo curtain who are in jail for their faith.  If they confess the right words and really have faith, they'll get twice the gruel that their cellmate receives? 

God wants us to have our minds fixed on other things than our own financial bottom line.  If we truly had discernment we'd know that our bank account will matter only in how we used it for God's glory.  Our "consideration" should be of the Lord Himself and what His will is for us in life.  To have a constant consideration of wealth is to waste our minds on things that are not eternal. 

There is another reason we should not be chasing wealth.  That reason is that wealth is often illusive.  In the simplest terms - take the example of the guy buying lottery tickets thinking he is going to win and get rich.  This proves two things - first, this guy is not very good at Math - and second, he is focused on the wrong things.  He thinks that money will solve his problems.  If he only took the time to study previous big winners of the lottery he'd learn that it usually causes more problems than it solves.  Then there is the person who is chasing the illusive goal of inventing something that will make him rich.  Too often the inventions don't pan out and the guy pursuing them for wealth winds up broke - and broken because of his failure to "make it to the big time." 

Wealth takes wings like an eagle -flying off into the heavens.  What a picture for us to remember!  This is true in so many ways.  What was just covered is one of the ways that wealth takes wings - but there is another that is even more important for us to remember.  Ask a rich man how much money he needs to be content.  His answer will be, "Just a little more than I have now."  That is the most deceptive part of wealth.  When we "get there" to our stated goal - we'll find it is not enough to bring peace and satisfaction to us.  So, we figure we'll set our goal a little higher - only to find that when we get there we still don't feel satisfied.  Some folks spend their entire lives chasing the eagle as it soars higher and higher into the air.  They die richer than they ever dreamed - but learning that the dream becomes a nightmare because of the lack of satisfaction in their wealth. 

One last thing needs to be said of a life spent chasing after wealth and riches.  The ultimate bummer for the rich man is when he dies.  He leaves everything behind.  There are no "rich people" in heaven or hell.  The basis of success or ultimate failure has to do with being able to stand before God in the judgment.  Jesus tells the story of the rich farmer who has a bumper crop.  He wonders what to do with his untold wealth.  He finally decides that he will tear down his barns and build bigger ones.  Then he will store his abundance and say to his soul that he has much wealth and can rest.  Jesus' words here are frightening.  He says, "You fool!  Tonight your soul is required of you - and how will mere wealth help you?"  We can be as wealthy as 10 Solomons - and still find ourselves eternally impoverished if we don't have forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ.  We can chase wealth into the heavens like that eagle - only to find that iin the end the descent into infinite poverty lasts not a human lifetime - it lasts for all eternity.  Here true wisdom - be rich toward God - that wealth will last beyond what can be stolen or rust away. 


 
 
A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. Proverbs 17:2

When I read this proverb, I think of biblical situations of sons and servants.  Sons in the Scriptures have acted shamefully.  Consider Absalom who rebelled against his father and acted very shamefully.  Absalom led a revolt against his father David - took over the kingdom - and subsequently had sex with 10 of David's concubines on the roof of the palace in the sight of all Israel.  His shameful acts eventually led to his death on the battlefield among the trees of the forest.  The books of Kings and Chronicles show again and again sons of the kings who acted with great shame and disgrace.  Their kingdoms amounted to little as God had to become Israel and Judah's enemy due to their sin and rebellion against Him.  Eli's sons in 1 Samuel acted disgustingly and shamefully by sleeping with women at the tent of meeting - and disdaining the sacrifices of God.  These actions led to their death - and the devastation of Eli's house forever before God. 

Just as there are these sons who acted shamefully - there have also been servants who acted with great honor before God.  Consider Abraham's servant, Eliezer, who took his son and made sure that he had a wife.  This servant trusted in the Lord to provide the right bride for Issac.  Elisha was a faithful servant to Elijah, washing his hands and learning from his master until the day that God allowed Elijah's mantle to fall on Elisha.  God even gave to the faithful servant of Elijah a double portion of his spirit.  There are a multitude of examples of faithful servants - and shameful sons. 

The servant who acts wisely and respectfully will eventually rule over the shameful son.  A truly wise father will not give all to his son if his son is a fool.  It is better to transfer wealth and influence to a godly and wise servant - than to a son who will only waste that wealth and destroy any future for a family business.  That faithful servant often will share in the inheritance among all the other brothers - not because of a blood relationship - but due to a lifetime of service to the master.

This proverb is primarily meant to describe the master/servant/son relationship that was prevalent in middle eastern society at that time, but there is also an important principle here for us today.  In this situation the son took advantage of his relationship with the father and dishonored him.  He acted shamefully and brought disgrace on his father's name and house.  The servant acted wisely and respectfully and was honored for it - even to the point of sharing in the wealth of the father - and the inheritance.  Thus we can learn two important lessons. 
Lesson #1 - Workplace wisdom!  We need to learn that when we manifest a servant's heart to our employer - showing both wisdom and respect in the workplace - honor will come our way.  How often have you heard of a situation where nepotism placed a son in a position of authority - only to have that son act shamefully and disgracefully on the job.  In the end - a wise father will overlook this brat and place a faithful servant in charge in the end.  This won't always be the case - especially when the father is negligent and overindulgent of the child.  But know this . . . there are men who see the demise of their company when put into the hands of a disgraceful son - and will choose a faithful servant/worker instead.  Therefore cultivate a servant's heart toward your master/employer.  Honor him and respect him - giving him hard work and wise choices concerning what you do and how you do it.  Work hard to make the company and your boss a success.  In time you will become invaluable to the company - and possibly may be advanced over a disgraceful son in the end.

Lesson #2 - Life!  Cultivate a servant's heart in all that you do.  In this proverb the man with the true servant's heart is honored.  You will never regret developing and manifesting a servant's heart toward others.  Even if you are not honored on earth or at your job, God Himself will honor you for living this way.  Embrace the role of servant whenever you can.  Oh, one last thing to remember as well . . . when God Himself came to this earth to accomplish His greatest work . . . He did not come as boss or as a spoiled brat who got His own way, He came as a servant.  In the end - God highly exalted Him for His sacrifice, obedience, and servant's heart!  That pretty much lets me know that we can expect the same from God if we embrace that same role all our days for His glory and honor.
 
 
Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty. Proverbs 30:10

Here is an interesting proverb that speaks to a couple of issues.  First it speaks to the issue of gossip.  We are being told not to slander a slave to his master.  The slander here is speaking false, damaging statements against a third party to someone.  We are not to speak with our mouths that which is false and slanderous.  What I love here is that God seeks to protect the weakest with this admonition.  God's statement here is protecting a slave - who is slandered to his master.  Too many think that just because a man is not a person of power and influence - they do not have the same rights as others.  Our system of justice seeks to right this wrong - and it was based in many ways on the teaching of Scripture.  God wanted to protect the weakest from even the strongest.  Justice is blind - and should be the same whether when dealing with a poor man or a rich one.  In the same way - we should refrain from gossiping about anyone - no matter what their status in life.  What I find interesting is that God says in Psalm 101:5 that He Himself will avenge this kind of action with destruction. 

The second thing to note here is that God does care about employer/employee relationships.  He wants a basic fairness to be used when dealing with these situations.  Thus the Lord speaks to the idea of a slave being slandered to his master.  We do not want these relationships to turn bitter and divided.  In the early years of this century employers took such bad advantage of their employees that they began to unionize.  This was profitable in the short run - but has become a disaster in the long term.  Now we have groups whose whole purpose is to stimulate bad blood between employer and employee.  This will not be good for business in the long run.  That is why even the slave is given recourse here.  He is allowed to bring charges against the false statements made about him.  Therefore all in society are reminded that there is a basic justice that will prevail in the dealings of men with other men. 

In the end, though, we are reminded that God wants us to shut our mouths when it comes to slander and gossip.  How much better served we are to make such matters a chance to pray hard to know what to do and how to do it.  That way we do not foment the kind of anger and hatred that has been the downfall of many businesses.  Let us be reminded that God does not want mob rule.  But let us also be reminded that those who do not want mob rule, must embrace those in authority over them, pray for them, and talk with them in a respectable manner.
 
 
A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.   Proverbs 11:1

Here is a proverb that has ramifications both in the practical world of everyday business as well as for living with other people.  In the business world this has to do with weighing things properly.  A false balance would be used in the market to weigh various food items - but would be set so that it would overweigh everything.  Thus the crooked businessman would make people pay more for less.  This is nothing more than cheating in a business.  Unfortunately this happens more often than we would like for it to happen.  But Yahweh wanted to let Israel know that when this was the case - He considers it an abomination.  We don't use the word abomination much in our society - but it means to be highly offensive.  When God considers things to be an abomination - He also judges these things and brings His wrath upon those who practice such abominations.  When God calls something an abomination - our best wisdom is to steer very clear of such things - because these things will get you judged quickly - and the discipline will come hard.

Isn't it interesting to see that God is interested in the business world and the practices within it.  Religion only affects a man when he is in the context of church - or some other accepted religious setting.  But Yahweh is saying here that He is not just a "religious" figure.  He is deeply interested in all that happens - even in the world of business - even to the point of someone tipping a scale slightly in their favor.  He abhors such things.  If we want God's blessing in our lives - that will include setting our business practices according to the principles found in His Word.

The "just weight" delights the Lord!  He is pleased when a businessman chooses to act in his business according to what God sets as acceptible standards.  His standard is honesty.  He desires that we be honest and truthful in our business dealings.  He wants us to practice godly buisness practices.  When we do - He tells us that such things delight Him.  And what God delights in . . . God blesses.  The old addage, "Honesty is the best policy" definitely carries weight in the eyes of God.  He will bless us if we will deal honestly and forthrightly with our business associates and with our customers.  Here is a proverb that will help you in your everyday life.

This proverb also has something to say to us spiritually in regard to our lives as well.  A false balance tries to weigh something falsely.  This is often the case with the lost man too.  He wants to be weighed according to the world's standards.  He looks at other men and wants to be weighed as to what is right in their eyes.  Such a false balance is despised by the Lord.  The truth is that we are all judged by God's Law - by His standard.  If we do not measure up to what He calls us to be - and to do - we just don't measure up.  Too many men think they are fine because they are not as bad as other men.  They compare themselves among themselves - but in doing so they deceive themselves.  The false balance here is the lies of false religion and a man-oriented, works-oriented gospel.  God hates this because His standard never changes.  It has always been perfection in keeping His law.  If we do not measure up to that standard, we lose. 

From time to time you might want to check your balances and scales in life.  You do this to make sure that God is the One who is setting the standards in your life.  When you don't do this - you have that fallen tendency to fix your scales in a way that is abominable to God.  May God give us grace to view His Word as the arbiter of all weights and standards - both in the business world - and in how we stand before Him.