Proverbs 10:2-3 "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked."
Here in the U.S., businesses try to capitalize on early Christmas sales in order to turn profitable for the year. Every Thanksgiving, they hope that holiday shoppers full of cheer will spend a lot of money and get them out of financial loss and into financial gain. Because accountants use the color black to signify profits and red to signify losses in the books, the day after Thanksgiving became known as Black Friday. The birth of Black Friday exposed the fact that many retail businesses spend most of the year living in the red. Apparently, many retail businesses rely on Christmas sales to become profitable which means they operate for most of the year unprofitable.
It must be a terrible feeling for a business owner to be living in the red. Knowing you owe your creditors or your landlord or your employees more than you can pay them for most of the year must be a stressful feeling. What retail businesses experience economically for most of the year is what the wicked experience spiritually all of the year. Treasures of wickedness bring no spiritual profit. Treasures of wickedness bring no spiritual gain. Treasures accrued by theft may gain a person power among their peers but it won’t gain a person respect from their Maker. Money deposited by evading tax laws may gain a person interest in their bank account but it won’t gain a person favor from their Creator. Money stockpiled by working unnecessary hours away from a family may impress the financial advisor but it won’t impress God. Treasures increased by ignoring Biblical giving may look good to the accountant but it won’t look good to the Savior.
There is no spiritual profit in the treasures of dishonesty. Financial profit is no true profit unless it is founded in righteousness. There is a substantial difference between profit in the marketplace and profit in the kingdom. Money in the bank may bring favor with doctors but only righteousness in the soul brings you favor with God. Money in the bank may give you better things but righteousness gives you a better life. What good are treasures acquired by unethical means if you lack the favor of God? God has the power to give life and to take life. God has the power to shorten a life and extend a life. God has the power to curse and to bless. Treasures of wickedness don’t profit a soul one bit because they leave that soul BANKRUPT before God.
Treasures of wickedness provide a false sense of financial security. Increasing your income by decreasing your lawful obligations to the government doesn’t help you. Increasing your income by decreasing your attendance to the house of God doesn’t profit you. Increasing your income by robbing another of their inheritance doesn’t do you any good. Increasing your income by denying God of His portion doesn’t bring you any help. Increasing your income by lying, cheating, stealing anyone of anything at any time doesn’t profit you in anyway. Wicked financial behavior puts a person in moral debt to their Maker. Unrighteous financial practices is LIVING IN THE RED, spiritually-speaking.
Righteousness on the other hand, no matter the size of the bank account, is always profitable to the soul. Choosing to manage your finances fairly, honestly and ethically is always profitable. Doing right with treasure always helps you because it brings you into favor with God. When life throws a financial curveball your way, it is the favor of God that helps you out. Where treasure can provide good health care, righteousness can provide a cure. Where treasure can cover repair costs, righteousness can avoid breakdowns or miraculously provide replacements. God doesn’t always deliver the righteous from death because it isn’t always His will to do so. That being said, God will gladly intervene on behalf of the righteous where He won’t on behalf of the wicked. God delivers the righteous because the righteous have His favor.
The morally bankrupt soul in this world finds no favor with God. The person living in the spiritual red is destined for rejection. Here in Proverbs 10, we read that God “casteth away the substance of the wicked.” In Matthew 25:30, we read in parable form God “casting the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.” No matter the reason, wickedness earns the rejection of God while righteousness earns the favor of God. No matter the monetary gain or loss, wicked financial practices put you in the spiritual red while righteous financial practices put you in the spiritual black. God takes a special interest in the person who is righteous with the things of this world and “will not suffer them to famish.” That doesn’t mean that God won’t allow financial loss or temporary famine in the lives of the righteous because He has and He will. God uses the hardship of this life to teach us valuable lessons for our good. God allows for loss and difficulty in order to refine the righteous, precisely because they have His favor. Whatever happens to the righteous, God is keenly aware of and in control for their good. Righteousness always helps the soul because it earns the favor of God. Righteousness may not always bring earthly treasures but it always brings Heavenly blessings.
A lot of people fill their bank accounts and fool themselves into thinking that debt is no threat. In reality however, many souls think that they’re living in the black when in reality, they’re spiritually living in the red. God gages us not by our success but instead by how we obtained that success.
It must be a terrible feeling for a business owner to be living in the red. Knowing you owe your creditors or your landlord or your employees more than you can pay them for most of the year must be a stressful feeling. What retail businesses experience economically for most of the year is what the wicked experience spiritually all of the year. Treasures of wickedness bring no spiritual profit. Treasures of wickedness bring no spiritual gain. Treasures accrued by theft may gain a person power among their peers but it won’t gain a person respect from their Maker. Money deposited by evading tax laws may gain a person interest in their bank account but it won’t gain a person favor from their Creator. Money stockpiled by working unnecessary hours away from a family may impress the financial advisor but it won’t impress God. Treasures increased by ignoring Biblical giving may look good to the accountant but it won’t look good to the Savior.
There is no spiritual profit in the treasures of dishonesty. Financial profit is no true profit unless it is founded in righteousness. There is a substantial difference between profit in the marketplace and profit in the kingdom. Money in the bank may bring favor with doctors but only righteousness in the soul brings you favor with God. Money in the bank may give you better things but righteousness gives you a better life. What good are treasures acquired by unethical means if you lack the favor of God? God has the power to give life and to take life. God has the power to shorten a life and extend a life. God has the power to curse and to bless. Treasures of wickedness don’t profit a soul one bit because they leave that soul BANKRUPT before God.
Treasures of wickedness provide a false sense of financial security. Increasing your income by decreasing your lawful obligations to the government doesn’t help you. Increasing your income by decreasing your attendance to the house of God doesn’t profit you. Increasing your income by robbing another of their inheritance doesn’t do you any good. Increasing your income by denying God of His portion doesn’t bring you any help. Increasing your income by lying, cheating, stealing anyone of anything at any time doesn’t profit you in anyway. Wicked financial behavior puts a person in moral debt to their Maker. Unrighteous financial practices is LIVING IN THE RED, spiritually-speaking.
Righteousness on the other hand, no matter the size of the bank account, is always profitable to the soul. Choosing to manage your finances fairly, honestly and ethically is always profitable. Doing right with treasure always helps you because it brings you into favor with God. When life throws a financial curveball your way, it is the favor of God that helps you out. Where treasure can provide good health care, righteousness can provide a cure. Where treasure can cover repair costs, righteousness can avoid breakdowns or miraculously provide replacements. God doesn’t always deliver the righteous from death because it isn’t always His will to do so. That being said, God will gladly intervene on behalf of the righteous where He won’t on behalf of the wicked. God delivers the righteous because the righteous have His favor.
The morally bankrupt soul in this world finds no favor with God. The person living in the spiritual red is destined for rejection. Here in Proverbs 10, we read that God “casteth away the substance of the wicked.” In Matthew 25:30, we read in parable form God “casting the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.” No matter the reason, wickedness earns the rejection of God while righteousness earns the favor of God. No matter the monetary gain or loss, wicked financial practices put you in the spiritual red while righteous financial practices put you in the spiritual black. God takes a special interest in the person who is righteous with the things of this world and “will not suffer them to famish.” That doesn’t mean that God won’t allow financial loss or temporary famine in the lives of the righteous because He has and He will. God uses the hardship of this life to teach us valuable lessons for our good. God allows for loss and difficulty in order to refine the righteous, precisely because they have His favor. Whatever happens to the righteous, God is keenly aware of and in control for their good. Righteousness always helps the soul because it earns the favor of God. Righteousness may not always bring earthly treasures but it always brings Heavenly blessings.
A lot of people fill their bank accounts and fool themselves into thinking that debt is no threat. In reality however, many souls think that they’re living in the black when in reality, they’re spiritually living in the red. God gages us not by our success but instead by how we obtained that success.
Posted in Proverbs Commentary
Tagged with wickedness, righteousness, wicked, righteous, money, Treasure, wealth, success, Profit, rejection, Favor of God, debt, bankrupt
Tagged with wickedness, righteousness, wicked, righteous, money, Treasure, wealth, success, Profit, rejection, Favor of God, debt, bankrupt
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