Prosperity

The greedy stir up dissension, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper. Proverbs 28:25

How do you read the Bible? I think a lot of us read it like a personal instruction manual. And verses like Proverbs 28:25 are pretty exciting when you read the Bible this way!

This verse can quickly go from a statement about greed and trust, to a personal money-making strategy. We can "trust in the Lord" with the end goal of financial prosperity.

Somehow, I don't think God intends for us to trust him with the result being a healthy 401K.

I do think God intends for us to trust him with the end result being a person who is shaped and formed (sometimes painfully) into a kingdom of God citizen. I think that is closer to what prosper means. This verse reminds me of Psalm 37:4-

Delight yourself in the laws of the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

You see what the Psalmist did there? Pretty clever. He says God wants to give you the desires of your heart. Awesome. 6'4" here I come! Wait, he says something before that?

Delight yourself in the laws of the Lord... So the idea is first to immerse yourself in who and what God is. Soak him up in the Scriptures and then I believe he will give us the desires of our hearts. But I think our desires will change. They will line up with the kingdom of God instead of the kingdom of man.

His desires will become our desires. And I think in those moments, we see and understand prosperity very differently.

Where is your heart greedy for this world instead of for Christ today?

"Give me Christ or else I die."