The book of Proverbs covers many topics and gets intensely practical. One of the topics on which Proverbs has quite a lot to say is wealth.
The struggle for many Christians is that our thinking about wealth is often shaped by influences outside the Bible. Sometimes we’re shaped by materialism. Sometimes we react against materialism in a way that seems spiritual but demonstrates the sort of asceticism labeled by New Testament authors as “irreverent, silly myths” (1 Tim 4:7) and the “teachings of demons” (1 Tim 4:1). And at other times, we simply allow rank fear and unbelief to lead us away from our hope in God and reception of his wisdom.
Here are five misconceptions about wealth that must go if we are to believe and receive the wisdom of God.
1. It will make all my problems go away
This is frankly the lie I am most tempted to believe. Am I earning enough? Am I saving enough? How will I cover the costs of a growing family with all this inflation? How will we pay for college or medical needs? What we really need is a generous benefactor or a sudden windfall. Because if we had more wealth, all our problems would disappear, right?
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death
Proverbs 11:4
According to the Bible, there is a problem we all have that is far greater than we imagine: our impending death. And God’s wrath against sin is real. My kids’ college tuition and my retirement package just can’t pay for such things. Only one thing can deliver us from death, or profit us in the day of wrath. Righteousness. And the entire Bible shows us how to get it (e.g. 2 Cor 5:21, Phil 3:8-11).
So wealth will never make your problems go away (see also Prov 11:28). But the amazing thing is that it just might help make other people’s problems go away. Wealth and people are both realities in this fallen world. But which one will serve, and which will be served? Use people to serve your wealth, and you’re in grave danger (James 5:1-6, 1 Tim 6:17). But use wealth to serve people, and the Lord himself says he is now in your debt (Prov 19:17, Matt 25:40).
2. I can tell who has it and who doesn’t
We tend to think we can tell the rich from the poor by looking. And this is great, because then we know whom to ask for favors (Prov 19:6). But appearances are deceiving.
One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
Proverbs 13:7
Those who appear to be rich often appear that way for a reason: They’re good at holding onto their stuff for themselves. And it would knock your socks off to find out which of your acquaintances are the most generous with their wealth. Because they are so generous, they tend to keep very little for themselves to flaunt.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Proverbs 11:24
I have been a support-raising missionary for nearly a quarter of a century, and I don’t know why I’m still surprised, but I am. Those whom I think could give generously to support the mission often do not. Sometimes, they look like they can because they have lots of stuff. Yet often, those whom I am afraid to ask—because they don’t look like they can afford it—are those who write checks in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.
This is not an exact science. I am not saying that appearances are always the exact opposite of the truth. I’m simply saying that you can’t tell who has the most wealth just by looking at their lifestyle. Such judgment didn’t work on the Lord Jesus (2 Cor 8:9).
3. It is something I ought to feel guilty about
The Bible extends some serious warnings to the wealthy, since it is ridiculously easy to transfer my allegiance from God to my investment portfolio. Anyone who comes close to wealth ought to be sobered by it and wary of it. Wealth is something of a ticking time bomb or hot potato that will burn you if you hold onto it too long.
The problem, however, is that sometimes we take such truths and turn them into guilt trips. As though God wants people to be poor. As though it is unchristian to have access to wealth. As though one ought to be ashamed of themself if God has blessed them in material ways. But:
The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.
Proverbs 10:22
God does not promise to make every one of his children wealthy here on earth, but he does bless some with wealth. And he blesses a few of those with a lot of wealth. He doesn’t do it to make their lives easy or problem-free (see misconception #1 above), but he does do it. Often, it’s not simply a random gift, given for no reason. It may simply be the fruit of living a life of wisdom.
In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
Proverbs 15:6.
Some people have no wealth because they’ve devoured it for selfish ends (Prov 21:20). But when a person wisely sees their wealth as not “mine” but the Lord’s, there is a strong motivation to collect more of it and put it to good use in service of others. The Bible does not lay a guilt trip on such people, and neither should we. When a believer is faithful with a little responsibility, the Lord’s reward is to give them even more such responsibility (Matt 25:21, 23).
4. It doesn’t matter how I get it
This should be obvious in light of the prior misconceptions, but it’s worth saying outright: Though wealth is not a bad thing in itself, that doesn’t mean we’re right to acquire it by any means possible.
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 10:2
There’s that inconvenient reminder of death again! If you acquire your wealth through wickedness, it won’t be of any help when it matters most.
So don’t gather wealth through wickedness. But also, don’t gather it through haste (Prov 13:11) or stinginess (Prov 28:22). That’s right: Your lottery earning will neither last nor keep its promises to you. And the image of a miserly Christian is a scandalous contradiction.
Hard, honest work over the course of a lifetime is the best way to go (Prov 13:11, 21:5).
5. It doesn’t matter whether someone has it or not
Have you ever been tempted to just throw your hands in the air and give up? Financial matters can be stressful and disheartening. Why not conclude that it just doesn’t matter? Wouldn’t it be a more faith-filled and Spirit-filled way of living to say, “I don’t care about money or wealth. I’m just not going to pursue it or think about it. God knows what I need, so I’ll just let go of the issue and let him provide whatever I need when I need it.”
That may sound mature, but it may represent a failure to grasp the first 4 misconceptions! Wealth cannot make your problems go away, but it can effectively alleviate the problems of others. You can’t tell who has it and who doesn’t, because those who are wise make use of it to serve others. You don’t have to feel guilty about wealth if you will be as generous with it as God has been with you. And it does matter how you get it: Not by using people but in order to serve them.
We’re real people with with real bodies in a real world filled with real suffering. Wealth can dramatically affect the quality of someone’s life, and that is the very reason why the Bible cares so much about the poor! Not because it’s better to be poor, but because God gives his people wealth to relieve the poor.
God wants you to use wealth to make friends with the people around you so you can win them to Christ (Prov 14:20, Luke 16:8-9).
And the wise person does not demonstrate a lack of awareness or concern with wealth but a deep awareness of such things, as demonstrated by their prayer:
Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9
The prayer of the wise is neither a request to take wealth away nor a request to give all wealth to remove problems. No, the wise and righteous prayer is a prayer for plenty. A prayer for whatever God deems sufficient for his purpose.
And God’s purpose is clear: that we would love him with all our hearts, and love our neighbors as ourselves. So will you use people to serve your wealth, or will you use your wealth to serve people?
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