Proverbs 11:28

Proverbs 11:28 "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch."

Few things rank higher in the heart of man than financial security.  I could easily argue that only companionship ranks higher than financial security on the list of things we want in life.  Even good health, as important as it is to us, is not something we think that much about until we're confronted with an illness or someone else's serious illness.  Financial security however, is something we all seek from the moment we have any understanding of money.  Children and adults alike want money and as much of it as possible.  There is just something about money that gets our undivided attention.

Financial security, or the sufficient amount of funding to meet nearly any present or future need, is what every person desires.  Anyone who claims that they don't want financial security is either being entirely dishonest or is likely in need of medical attention.  From the grass hut in a third-world country to a mansion in a prosperous land, every person wants to know that they have enough money to buy food, medicine, clothes, transportation and anything else they might need to survive for the rest of their lives.  This desire is appropriate and natural in a cursed world dominated by loss, risk, uncertainty and death.  In addition to having this natural desire, we are taught by our parents at a young age to achieve financial security as a responsibility in life.

Because it is natural, appropriate and encouraged to seek financial security, it so easily becomes the highest priority for many in life.  People unknowingly dedicate their lives to having enough money.  Careers are chosen primarily to obtain financial security with those careers then naturally becoming the passion and priority in life.  Most of our decisions are made with financial security in mind and frankly, it is at the very top of our minds.  Daily, we work our jobs to obtain financial security.  Monthly, we pay our bills and check our financial statements to ensure financially security.  Annually, we assess and adjust our investments determined to preserve our financial security.

When financial security becomes a priority, it usually becomes a reality.  When it becomes a reality, it so easily becomes our identity.  When our bank accounts are full, we feel safe.  When all our bills are paid with ease, we feel secure.  When our retirement accounts are growing, we feel good.  When income continues to pour in consistently, we feel accomplished and in control.  While those are all good things, this financial security poses the soul a great danger.  Being responsible can easily and quickly become being SELF-SUFFICIENCY.  If self-sufficiency were expressed on a coin, it would read, "In Me I Trust," instead of, "In God We Trust."  It's just too easy to cross the line of being responsible with money to being foolish with money.  It's just too easy to cross the line of working hard for your money to crediting yourself with getting all of your money.  It's just too easy to cross the line of being disciplined with your budget to assuming you're the reason for your prosperity.  The line between responsibly managing your money and foolishly trusting your money is razor thin.
 
A man who would be considered an expert in all things money made quite the statement in this proverb.  A man inspired by God made quite the promise.  He said anyone who trusts in their riches "SHALL FALL."  He wasn't suggesting that banking on your bank account could be bad - he promised it would be bad.  Anyone who trusts their financial plan instead of trusting God with their needs is guaranteed to be disappointed at some point.  Anyone who finds their security in their bank accounts instead of finding their security in the God of Heaven will find themselves in a bad place at some point.

Solomon uses the second part of this proverb to illustrate the foolishness of trusting in riches.  In contrasting the person who trusts in his money, this billionaire tells us that the righteous will “flourish as a branch.”  A branch of a tree only flourishes because it is connected to a water source through the roots of the tree it is connected to.  A branch doesn't grow because of any work of its own.  A branch doesn't drink water on its own.  A branch doesn't harvest any nutrients from the soil.  A branch only grows, blossoms and flourishes because of what the tree does for it.  A branch’s success hinges entirely on staying connected to the food source.  The righteous are those who wisely recognize that "every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights" (James 1:17).  The righteous are responsible with their fruit but they acknowledge that their fruit is the result of the tree.  The righteous are responsible with their riches but they acknowledge that their money is the result of God’s blessings.  For the righteous, their security is not in their riches but instead, in their root.  For the righteous, their security is not found in the bank vault – it is found in their Heavenly Father’s goodness.
 
When looking at this proverb in light of its illustration, the person who trusts in his riches is the person who thinks his leaves and his fruit are the result of his doing.  When we trust in ourselves, we will find ourselves cut off from God's blessings and like a broken branch, we "SHALL FALL" to the ground.  Such was the case with Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel as he viewed his financial success as his own doing and ultimately, he gloried in his financial security without a single thought of God.  Like a branch broken in the wind, he was cut off from the source of his wealth and fell hard to the ground where he withered away until he repented of his arrogant self-sufficiency.

Dear twenty-first century American Christian, heed the danger this proverb speaks of.  Christ, using very similar language in John 15, tells us that HE is THE VINE (root) and "without Him, we can do nothing."  When it comes to spiritual fruit and when it also comes to financial fruit, He says, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (John 15:6).  Beware of finding security in the dollars and cents you have saved for all of your present and future needs.  Self-sufficiency is declared EVIL by the "True Vine" in Matthew 6:34 when Jesus said, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."  

The righteous don't find their security in their money - they find it in the Source of their money.  We would be wise to pursue Source Security rather than Financial Security.  Money comes and goes but God never changes.  Markets and wages go up and down but God never changes.  The righteous flourish as a branch because they rely on the Source of their blessing and prosperity.  They work hard and manage money well but more than anything, they "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" because they know that "all these things (material & financial needs) shall be added unto them" (Matthew 6:33).

Beware of the spiritual danger financial security poses the soul.  Choose rather to righteously find your security in the Source all blessing.