Proverbs 13:7

Proverbs 13:7 "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches."

At first glance, this proverb is all about money.  On the surface, it would appear that Solomon is warning against wealth.  While this proverb certainly applies to financial components, it is not warning against wealth.  If that were the case, it would be rather hypocritical for Solomon to do that given he was the wealthiest man in the world at the time.  Furthermore, if Solomon were suggesting that poverty was the mark of morality, he would be contradicting much of his writing since he repeatedly taught that riches followed the God-fearing wise man.

The key to understanding this proverb is found in the repeated phrase on either side of the proverb – “there is that making himself.”   Solomon understood by experience that when wealth comes from God, it is both appropriate and blessed.  God gave Solomon great wealth as the result of asking for wisdom instead of wealth.  This wealth would be used to finance the building of the first Jewish Temple as well as the mighty kingdom of Israel.  Solomon was rich and he had much.  He had both plenty of riches and plenty of romance.  He had both an abundance of wealth and an abundance of wisdom.  He was both financially secure and relationally secure. When riches come from above, it costs nothing below.  The problem with wealth is when it comes from below.

When a man is made rich by God, he will have everything.  When a man is made rich by himself, he will have nothing.  When a man is made rich by God, he possesses the virtue necessary to manage those riches.  Most people can’t handle wealth, as seen in the world of the rich and famous.  Wealth in the hands of the average soul darkens and ravages the soul with addiction and selfishness.  Without healthy financial limitations, a person obtains whatever their soul desires.  Without healthy financial boundaries, a person consumes whatever their soul craves.  As a result, they become a god to themselves having no need of God Himself or even of others.  In the process of becoming entirely consumed with self, the average rich man or woman destroys every relationship they have while trading in peace, contentment and gratitude for a cocktail of misery and madness.  Wealthy people often die in big beautiful mansions surrounded by second, third or fourth spouses and children who only want their inheritance.  They made themselves rich but, in the end, they had nothing in their lives or in their souls that meant anything more than monetary value.

This is the Economy of Morality.  Seeking the prosperity of self is deceptively foolish.  When we seek our own security and prosperity, we will find ourselves empty of what we really want in the end.  We don’t have to want a $10,000,000 mansion to be self-seeking.  We don’t have to desire a private plane to be self-serving.  If our security is more important than another’s security and if our prosperity is a higher priority than another’s prosperity, we are both self-seeking and self-serving.  We can make ourselves secure and prosperous but, in the process, we will lose relationships, peace and joy.  On the contrary, if we place the security and prosperity of others before our own, we will finish our days with “great riches” in the form of loving relationships and true peace.  If we’re going to make ourselves anything, we need to make ourselves poor for therein is the real blessing.
 
In the Economy of Morality, there is no way around the fact that there is a heavy cost to seeking the success of self over the success of others.  In the same economy, there is no way around the fact that there is a tremendous benefit to seeking the success of others over the success of self.  No one in human history has found a loophole to this rule.  If you want anything worth having, you must be willing to spend money, calories, time and comfort.  If you want anything worth having in this life, you must intentionally spend more of everything on others than on yourself.  If you make yourself rich, you’ll have nothing but if you make yourself poor, you’ll have everything.

In the Economy of Morality, giving is the way to getting.  If you want a healthy life, you need to move more than you sit.  If you want a happy marriage, you need to give more than you take.  If you want a friend, you need to listen more than you talk.  If you’re not willing to give of yourself, then you’ll have nothing for yourself at the end of your days.  If you’re not willing to invest in people, then you’ll have no one in your life at the end of your life.  According to Solomon, it’s hard to make friends if you’re not willing to spend money on them as he said, “every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts” (Proverbs 19:6).   If someone isn’t worth your money in a dinner, a lunch, a coffee or a gift, you’re not worth their friendship.  If someone isn’t worth your time on a phone call or a get-together, then you’re not worth their relationship.  If someone isn’t worth your effort or inconvenience in getting out of your comfort zone, then you’re not worth their companionship.  This is the Economy of Morality and there are no work-arounds.  If you’re willing to deplete yourself of monetary, physical, emotional and relational resources, you’ll have “great riches” in this life.  This is precisely why on the Sermon the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3).
 
Don’t be fooled by the inner deceit of the heart – financial security is not the path to success nor is inner security the path to satisfaction.  Spending your resources for the well being of others around you is the path to true success and real satisfaction.  In the Economy of Morality, remember this rigid rule: giving up your resources is the only way to get real riches.

Friend, what are you presently making yourself?  Are you making yourself rich with full bank accounts or are you making yourself poor by taking a less lucrative job in order to have a better schedule for your marriage and family?  Are you making yourself financially secure with aggressive retirement accounts or are you making yourself poor by budgeting money for friends and for memories?  Are you making yourself rich by building your kingdom or are you making yourself poor by contributing substantially to the kingdom of God?  Are you making yourself rich by working multiple jobs and excessive hours or are you making yourself poor by forfeiting the extra income so you can spend time doing God’s business?  Are you making yourself “secure” by avoiding the vulnerability that comes with being with people or are you making yourself poor by sharing things about yourself in order to be a friend?  No one beats the Economy of Morality.  If you can’t give of your resources to the point of personal impoverishment, you’ll never experience true riches in this life.