Where Your Treasure Is There Your Heart will be Also
10: 22-26
A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.
While studying the book of Proverbs, I have discovered four principles that helped me understand money management from ADONAI’s perspective. These aren’t tax-saving tips or strategies for gaining wealth, although doing things God’s way certainly doesn’t hurt. The Lord is more concerned about how our handling of money affects our spiritual life and how our finances impact our relationship with Him and His people.
1. Those who honor God with their money are blessed in return. The blessing of ADONAI is what makes people rich, and He doesn’t mix sorrow with it (10:22 CJB).
Honor ADONAI from your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce. Then He will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine (3:9-10 ESV).
Adversity pursues sinners, but prosperity will reward the righteous (13:21 CJB).
I believe that you can tell much more about one’s dedication to ADONAI by looking at their bank statement than by looking at their Bible. Again and again throughout Scripture, we read of the blessings that God grants (not all of them tangible, by the way) to those who honor ADONAI from their wealth. In a practical sense, that means giving generously to both improve the lives of those less fortunate and enable those who do not know Messiah to hear the Good News. Although believers have a solemn duty of supporting the ministry of their local Messianic synagogue or their church, many find great joy in giving to ministries that accomplish Kingdom work that they feel is important. For some, that’s feeding the poor. Others financially support efforts to carry the Gospel to foreign lands, provide health care to mothers in need, combat human suffering, or supply clean water to remote villages. For more on tithing see the commentary on The Life of Christ Do – When You Give to the Needy Do Not Do It to be Honored by Others: seven principles of scriptural giving.
2. Those who make riches their passion lose much more than they gain. Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. Because in the blink of an eye, wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle (23:4-5 NLT). Who hasn’t been tempted by some get-rich-quick scheme? And think of the thousands of people who are drawn into the broad and juicy appeal of investors who promise a killing. Beware of statements like, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” and “Get in on the ground floor!” When you hear this kind of stuff, listen for the flapping of eagles’ wings and instead listen to the wisdom of Solomon’s words (Proverbs 28:19-20 and 22).
As you examine your bank records, how much money did you give to your place or worship and meaningful charities in comparison to the amount you spend on entertainment and clothes. How much of your discretionary spending can you set aside for giving? If the amount seems insignificant, remember that a single dollar goes a long, long way in underdeveloped countries.
3. Wisdom gives wealth guidance. If you have a choice between wisdom and wealth, wisdom is much to be preferred! With wisdom, you stand a better chance of gaining more wealth, but wealth cannot buy wisdom. And should you be fortunate enough to gain wealth, wisdom will keep you out of trouble.
Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than pure gold (8:10 NIV). For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her (8:11 ESV) . . . Riches and honor are with Me, enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and My yield is better than choice silver (8:18-19 ESV).
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver (16:16).
Wisdom provides the recipient of increased finances with the restraint needed to avoid economic disaster. Furthermore, wisdom helps us maintain that essential equilibrium, for much wealth can be a heady thing to deal with. In all human history, riches have never made anyone honest or generous or discerning; wisdom must come aboard to steer our vessel around those dangerous shallow reefs.
4. Increased riches bring increased complications. As I examine the biblical record, I find several complications dealing with wealth in the book of Proverbs.
A false sense of security: The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety (18:11).
A sudden burst of many new “friends:” Wealth makes many “friends,” but poverty drives them away (19:4).
The increased probability of arrogance and pride: Rich people think they are wise, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them (28:11).
Increased moral temptations: Don’t lust in your heart after her beauty, or let her captivate you with her eyes (6:25 NIV). For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, but sleeping with another man’s wife will cost you your life (6:26 NLT). Can a man scoop fire into his lap (surely suggestive of the man’s genitals) without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched (6:27-28 NIV)?232
A fool finds pleasure in his wicked schemes, finding amusement and satisfaction in it. It’s the fool’s moral superficiality that enables him to enjoy sin; he had no deep sense of his sinfulness. But a person of understanding delights in wisdom (10:23 NIV). The idea is that doing evil is something that fools actually relish, not something that circumstances force on them. As a result, this proverb suggests that there is something in fools that makes evil a natural result of their character, and then compares to the wisdom that lives in believers.233
The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted (10:24 NLT). According to simplistic retribution theology, the righteous prosper and the wicked suffer. Despite its presence in both Jewish and Christian beliefs, in Job and Ecclesiastes, retribution theology is not always true. One cannot assume that all suffering is a judgment for sin. In the context of Proverbs, this statement is presented simply as a general, but not all-inclusive truth.234
However, as Derek Leman describes in his book Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, it is a frightful truth about the justice that ADONAI has built into the universe that the wicked often meet the end they fear the most (see the commentary on Esther Bf – So They Impaled Haman on the Pole He Had Set Up for Mordecai). The word fear (Hebrew: megovrat) speaks of what a fool dreads, and is used only six times in Scripture. In Isaiah 66:4, it is used of the exact same truth as here (see the commentary on Isaiah Ks – The Rejection of the Tribulation Temple). Psalm 34:4 speaks of what the righteous dread – from which ADONAI rescues them. The word speaks of horror, a fear that breaks down courage and starts knees trembling.
Who has not experienced the fear of sin? Perhaps the occasion was a lie, once told not able to be taken back. The fear of being caught in a lie hits right in the gut. Perhaps the occasion was a theft, and the fear is prosecution by the law. This very fear often leads to more wickedness, as thieves, fearing capture, have been known to kill potential witnesses or pursuers. Perhaps the fear is over a lingering dishonesty, perhaps a lack of integrity at the workplace. Or maybe a sexual sin. Whenever our thoughts turn to a hidden sin there is a paralyzing fear. This is a slow death, as stress eats away years of life. Some say only the good die young, but in reality, the wicked probably die younger.
But there is a fear that gives life. There is a fear that is born out of love and respect. This is a deep-seated submission and a very real fear of a greater power. That greater power, ADONAI Himself, is more to be feared than all of the pain this life can bring. As Yeshua said: Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). We do not fear ADONAI because we can’t trust Him; instead, we fear His power, as a child fears the power of a decent and loving father. Thus, there are two paths, both described by fears. The wicked fear the consequences of their sin. The righteous fear ADONAI. One fear leads to death, the other to life. One fear is a constant dread; the other fear leads to eternal security (see The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).235
Like the previous proverbs, this one contrasts the wicked and the righteous. When the storm has passed, the wicked are gone; but the righteous are firmly established forever (10:25 CJB). This is obviously a figurative storm, in which the wicked will not weather the consequences of their evil deeds. However, the righteous have roots that help them survive catastrophes. Once again we turn to the words of Messiah: Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. When the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash (Mt 7:24-27).
This verse completes the bookends of verses 22-26. The synthetic parallelism of verse 22 where the second line simply continues the thought of the first line and takes it a step further: The blessing of ADONAI is what makes people rich, and He doesn’t mix sorrow with it, is mirrored here: Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes (10:26 NLT). This proverb is based on a simile. The key to its interpretation is to unpack the two analogies of lazy people sent on a task. Most people have had smoke in their eyes at some point in their lives and know the experience to be irritating, painful, and debilitating. The experience of vinegar on the teeth is a bit harder to describe particularly since we are not certain exactly what vinegar was like in ancient Isra’el. However, since the noun is constructed from the verb (hms) that means to be sour, we get the idea. The sages were particularly rough on lazy people as the epitome of foolish behavior (6:6-11, 10:4, 12:11 and 24, 24:30-34 etc). They are at their most vivid and sarcastic best when describing them. Of course, those who employ lazy people or ask them to do a task are going to be bitterly disappointed. Their laziness will certainly delay them if not keep them from doing that task at all.236
Dear heavenly Father, praise You that the treasure of being received into Your heavenly home is worth far more than anything which earth can offer. I also heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is among men, and He shall tabernacle among them. They shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them and be their God. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4). Earthly treasures will one day disappear; but the treasure of having You abiding in me is for all eternity! But we have this treasure in jars of clay, so that the surpassing greatness of the power may be from God and not from ourselves (Second Corinthians 4:7). Thank You for rescuing me from sin’s grip of death, for saving me (Acts 16:31). Praise You for perfecting me so I can produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Now all discipline seems painful at the moment – not joyful. But later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen
Leave A Comment