Daily Proverbs
Daily Bible Study
Once again the Book of Proverbs is speaking of the condition of a person’s heart. In this case it’s their heart toward God and their heart toward material possessions. Which one they put first in their lives, gives us a glimpse into what place God has in their heart. The blessings spoken of in this passage are the product of a man who performs honest labor. Someone whose heart is toward God and therefore enjoys the blessings of honest work. They do so because their heart is not filled with greed for material possessions, nor do they envy wealth. In other words, they are not living for the sake of wealth alone. They do not chase after the accumulation of wealth, nor do they consider wealth the purpose of life or a thing to idolize.
This is contrasted against the man who because of his greed, chases as fast as he can after riches. This is a person who has placed the accumulation of wealth as his life’s goal. Someone who has allowed wealth to become his god. These passages speak of the person who has replaced God in his heart with the pursuit of getting rich. And doing so at all costs, all the while not realizing in the end, he is assuring his own destruction. Dear child of God, these passages speak against what is taught by the world we live in. Our world tells us to chase after material possessions. To seek out self-fulfillment and self-gratification. However, God’s word tells us to instead seek the Lord, love those around us and help those in need. True happiness comes from trusting in God, and following His guidance. This includes using our time, talents and resources to further the kingdom of God, support our families and help those in need around us.