Devotion
Rich or poor? That is the question
David Jacobs
I lived in China for a few years, and the desire for wealth there is as much as I have ever seen. A famous celebrity gained infamy for uttering these words: "I would rather be crying in the back of a BMW than smiling on the back of a bike." The urge to obtain and collect possession is an obsession, greed on of the seven deadly sins. If it is considered such a sin, how have we allowed the consumer culture that we live in to grow to the extent that it has?
Much has been forgotten and most of our society does not consider the scriptures. This is why we, as devoted followers of Christ, owe it to ourselves and to all of society to be learned and knowledgeable in the ways of the Lord.
This proverb begins praising the poor but righteous and bashing the fool that is perverse in speech. If someone speaks without knowledge, they are a fool and a sinner, wicked in the eyes of the Lord.
The last verse is most striking to me: wealth may make many friends, but the poor is separated from his neighbor.
Prayer
However, what kind of friends are attracted to wealth? Are they not using you simply for your material belongings? When trouble hits you and you need a true friend, who would you be able to rely on? Some of the most generous are the poorest, as was the case with the widow's offering in the temple (Mark 12:41-44). She may not have a BMW that she can cry in, but she will have access to the kingdom of heaven, more riches than even the wealthiest on earth can possibly imagine.She shall inherit the earth. To the wealthiest among us: where will your false friends be?
Night Prayer
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Inspiration
We cannot surrender part of our lives to serve the Lord; we must surrender it all. We see multiple occurrences in the New Testament when Jesus says, 'follow me,' met with an excuse or other business that needed to be taken care of first. We like to think that, given the opportunity, we would follow immediately, but that may not be true. We put many earthly activities before the Lord. We make idols of technology, sports, and other activities or people. These secondary priorities cause us to wander away from the Lord instead of closer to Him. We must analyze our walk closely and remove all stumbling blocks that distract us from the Lord.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we want to serve You with all our hearts. Help us analyze our lives and remove stumbling blocks that slow our walk with You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
