Proverbs 15:6

Proverbs 15:6 "In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble."

There is something in the natural mind of man that connects morality to prosperity and immorality to poverty. The human soul instinctively feels like it will be blessed by the Divine if it does right and it assumes that the blessing will be materialistic in some way.  Scripture itself does provide some credibility to this natural belief.  On many occasions throughout the Old Testament in particular, God promises physical blessing to the Jewish people if they obey Him while warning of physical ramifications if they disobey Him.  These Biblical references have led many to believe in a so-called, "Prosperity Gospel," that falsely promises wealth to those who devoutly follow God.  Indeed, God does on many occasions bless materialistically those who follow Him with but that doesn't mean that wealth is the automatic result of righteousness.  Poverty has stricken many righteous throughout the pages of human history and throughout the pages of Scripture.  Wealth has found its way to plenty of wicked souls throughout that same time and same Book.

While Solomon did teach material blessings come from fearing God, getting wisdom and living righteously, he did not teach that wealth was reserved for the righteous.  In Proverbs 10, he referenced "treasures of wickedness" and in Proverbs 21, he addressed "the getting of treasures by a lying tongue."  For these reasons, this particular proverb is not suggesting that it's trouble OR treasure for us in this world.  This particular Scripture is not teaching that the righteous will be wealthy and healthy while the unrighteous will be poor and sickly.  This wise and inspired statement compares the house of the righteous with the revenues of the wicked.  It does not compare the same things of two different types of people.  It isn't showing us the absence of treasure in the house of the wicked but it is highlighting treasure in the house of the righteous.

Because we see the wicked pursuing and accruing riches all throughout the Bible, we can draw the proper conclusion that Solomon isn't teaching us that righteousness leads to prosperity and that unrighteousness leads to poverty.  Furthermore, because Solomon is contrasting the treasure in the home of the righteous with the trouble in the revenue of the wicked, we should appropriately conclude that he is contrasting how the righteous live with how the wicked gain.  He wants us to see the godly person in their home with material blessings and then contrast that with the image of an ungodly person obtaining money in some troublesome way.  Both people may have the same treasure in their homes.  They may both possess the same size home with the same number of cars.  They may be neighbors who both own large lots with big barns full of equipment and treasure.  Only one, however, possesses trouble.

The emphasis of this proverb is not possessing treasure or else Solomon would've pit the contents of both houses against each other.  The emphasis of this proverb is the process of possessing treasure since the revenue of the wicked is troublesome and the revenue of the righteous is not even worth noting.  Because the righteous don't lie to gain riches, there is nothing scandalous to talk about.  Because the righteous don't cheat the customer, employer or the government, there is nothing dramatic to share.  Because the righteous don't gamble or steal, there is no trouble in the revenue of the righteous – no unmarked bills, no stolen funds, no unreported income or tips, no blood soaked paper.  For the righteous, whatever treasure they possess, it's without controversy or contention.  Treasure in the house of the righteous doesn't need to be hid because it wasn’t stolen nor does it need to be protected from repossession.  Treasure in the house of righteous was secured ethically and justly.  For that reason, it is enjoyed without anxiety, fear or trouble.

Whatever treasure the wicked accrue, it is forever accompanied by trouble.  Lifelong disputes with prior owners or costly cases with the IRS is the type of trouble that makes its way into the house of the wicked because of the type of revenue they entertain.  Embezzlement can make a person wealthy but it is a wealth that forever troubles the soul and often imprisons the body.  Gambling can bring a person treasure but that treasure will bring trouble to that home for it distorts the value of working hard.  Treasure with trouble is no treasure.  Wealth that comes with a guilty conscious is no wealth at all.  You can't put a price on a clear conscious!  No amount of money can make living in fear of getting caught enjoyable.  No amount of treasure can sooth the neck pain of constantly looking over your shoulder.  Peace is priceless and according to the prophet Isaiah, "there is no peace, saith the Lord, to the wicked" (Is. 48:22).

Let this proverb be a reminder that how we earn our income matters more than how much income we earn.  Everyone wants treasure but may we be the people that recognize we should only want treasure without trouble. More specifically, let "the children of the light" wisely learn that income earned unjustly will bring trouble into our lives, no matter how little or how much the income is.  Stealing a lot of money or skimming a few dollars brings trouble and is never worth the payout.  Let us not be fooled into thinking we can convert wicked revenue into harmless possessions.  Let us not be fooled into believing that withholding God's gold or Caesar's silver can be converted into worry-free currency.  Robbing your neighbor, your family, your employer, your king or your God in any way for any amount will bring trouble into your life that no possession can compensate for.  Treasure is only truly treasure when it is earned and enjoyed with a clear conscience.  This is why the proverb shows us much treasure in the house of the righteous.