Money is the Answer??

If only I had a little more money; then I could….

I am sure that you could easily complete the sentence. After all, who wouldn’t want a little extra money?

There’s that home project that keeps getting put off. More reliable transportation would be nice. Then, the unexpected...storm damage!

If you own it, you’ll have to repair it or replace it...a little more money would come in handy.

Kids. Did I mention kids? Kids cost a lot.

A little extra money would cover the braces, new clothes, activity fees, piano lessons, tutoring, cell phone, and so on.

• Car! College! Commencement!
• Repair! Replace! Retire!
• Health care, parental care, governmental care (taxes)...it never ends.

There are greedy people out there, but I’m not greedy. There are selfish people out there, but I’m not selfish. I’m keeping up with expenses, but I can’t seem to get ahead. A little more money really would solve a lot of problems. (Let’s be honest and strike the word little.)

Solomon agreed!

Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. 

—Ecclesiastes 10:19

Did you know that Solomon wrote that? Did you know that statement is in the Bible!? It almost sounds like eat, drink and be merry with money is the answer tacked on for good measure. It may even seem to conflict with New Testament teachings about self-discipline and self-sacrifice.

If money can answer everything, why not live life in pursuit of money?

First, remember that Solomon’s statement about money was written in a book containing the results of his search for meaning. Limiting himself to the created universe, Solomon tried everything, yet nothing in the universe provided meaning. So, there is an exception to his money statement. Money does not provide the ultimate meaning in life. You must look beyond the physical universe for meaning.

Second, notice that Solomon simply laid before us an observation about money. He did not advise the pursuit of money.

Third, money is a neutral thing. It is not good or bad to possess it or use it. Yet, there are a few things in Scripture that provide cautionary wisdom when it comes to money.

Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, “Who is the Lord?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God. 

—Proverbs 30:8-9 (HCSB)

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. 

—Mark 10:25

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 

—1 Timothy 6:10

The wealthy of this world seem to prove that money is the answer to everything. Yet, money does not generate faith in God, but rather, faith in money. So, is it true that money is the answer to everything? Sure, but only within the boundaries of the physical universe. Beyond that, money is meaningless.

Mark Stinnett

July 30, 2023

A Shady Deal

   Ill-gotten gains do not profit, 
   But righteousness delivers from death.
   --Proverbs 10:2

Some translations read, “Treasures gained by wickedness,” or something similar. So, what exactly is Solomon talking about?

The term ‘gains’ or ‘treasures’ is not referring to a hidden treasure or a gold mine. It is literally, ‘that which you store up.’ So, you might think about your savings account, your retirement account, your Swiss bank account. (You get the point.) Your ‘gains’ might also be material possessions that you have collected and stored up.

The Hebrew term for ‘ill-gotten’ is rooted in the idea of ‘wickedness.’ So, the idea is that of possessing money or things which you have accumulated through dishonest means. Perhaps it was a white lie, fudging some numbers on your income taxes, taking supplies from your workplace, withholding information on the sale of a house or car (a shady deal); perhaps something more serious.

On the surface it would appear that you beat the system. You may have even eased your conscience by rationalizing that you were not caught; or it was so small it really did not matter; or other people do it all the time, or ________ (fill in the blank with your favorite rationalization).

It would appear that you have benefited from your gain, but consider the contrast found in the proverb: Profit is set in contrast with . . . death.

The brutal reality is that while there ‘appears’ to be a profit (benefit), there is death.

In stark contrast: Righteousness (doing what is right in God’s eyes) delivers from death.

We know the opposites: life and death. We would never choose death over life. However, Solomon sets things in a more practical language:
There is life and there is wealth gained through dishonesty.

Be wise.
Choose life.
Do right.

Wealth or Relationships?

     Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
     Than a house full of feasting with strife.
     --Proverbs 17:1

When we read the word ‘better’ we automatically recognize that one thing is more beneficial than another. The reader is given a comparison of the value of two things. A choice is presented.

Without knowing specific circumstances, one might reason that it is not really a sin to be in a house full of feasting with strife, but it is NOT better. The word ‘strife’ in this verse indicates complaining, arguing, and even fighting (probably verbally). So, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with a house of feasting (with strife). Of course, the strife part is not good.

We might be tempted to continue meandering around the words until we eventually wash out the meaning of the proverb. Let’s be reasonable; what do you think God expected us to learn by reading this proverb? What kind of response do you think He expects?

The ‘dry morsel’ and ‘feasting’ are contrasting terms that represent a measure of wealth. ‘Quietness’ and ‘strife’ describe human interaction. How often do we think about there being a relationship between wealth and human interaction?

Surely it is better to have plenty of food instead of going hungry. Feasting is better than starving. However, that is not an absolute truth; there are circumstances that might change the way we look at wealth. Solomon advises that if you are placed in circumstances in which you must choose between wealth and peace in human relationships, choose peace.

One might conclude that, in general...

The way you manage your relationships

IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN 

The way you manage your money!

Manage wisely!
Invest in friends and family.
Invest in people.

(As we approach the upcoming whirlwind of holiday fun, feasting and festivities, we would do well to remember that our relationships with friends and family and fellow believers are more important than finances and gifts.)