Wealth & Poverty
Reading: Proverbs 10:4, 10:15, 10:22, 13:8, 18:11, 18:23, 19:4, 21:6, 30:8-9
Quote:
• I like what Earl Wilson said:
• “There ought to be a better way of starting the day than having to get up.”
• Reminds me of the story of the teenage boy,
• Who was so lazy that he couldn't wake up early in the morning,
• And his mom decided to fix that.
• She tried the usual shouting, and threats but none of it worked.
• So, one day, she tried a different approach,
• She decided to reason with him.
• The mom sat on the edge of his bed and said, son,
• The teenager just about opened his eyes.
• She said, “Son, I'm going to tell you a story.
• And I want you to tell me what you learn.”
• He grunted, OK.
• And so, she began. Saying…
“There were two birds, and one bird got up really early every morning.
And the little bird that got up early every morning found plenty of bugs to eat.
And with those bugs, this early bird was able to feed himself and his family.
But the other bird would never get up in the morning, slept in every day.
And when he finally got up, there was no food for him to eat.
So, she said, son, what is the moral of the story? What have you learned? “
• The youth replied,
• “Well, the story tells me that bugs that wake up early get eaten by birds!”
• TRANSITION: Well, that mom got a surprise answer.
• She was of course hoping to hear, the answer, “that the early bird gets the worm.”
• This English expression first appeared in a 1605 book of proverbs,
• By William Camden.
• The idea behind the expression is simple,
• The birds that wake up the earliest have the best chance of catching a good meal,
• Since no other birds have awoken to pick for worms.
• Likewise, people who arrive first have a better chance than those who arrive late.
• This phrase is so ubiquitous (so universal).
• That it is even shortened on occasions to early bird.
• e.g. Restaurants will sometimes have to early bird prices,
• To customers who arrive before the peak trading hours.
Money and wealth play a huge role in our society.
• The book of Proverbs reminds us you will not get rich by being lazy,
• But you might find wealth if you get out of bed and work hard!
• Now, I have been given 9 individual but themed verses to speak on,
• That leaves me about 2mins on each verse, so let’s get a move on!
lesson #1: Proverb 10 verse 4,
“Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.”
The principle in this verse is straightforward (common sense):
• The verse contains a contrast, between lazy hands and busy hands.
• A lazy person brings poverty on himself,
• Whereas a hardworking person has a much better likelihood of being successful.
• i.e. The person with a job,
• Will probably better off financially than someone without a job.
• i.e. The student who studies and prepares for an exam,
• Will probably get better results than the person who does not.
• Now if only all the verses in the Bible were as simple and straight forward as that one!
• OK, let’s look at the next Proverb.
lesson #2: Proverb 10 verse 15,
“The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.”
Ill:
• Before you left home you probably closed all the windows,
• Put the alarm on and locked the doors.
• (Now some of you here are looking worried – did we?)
• TRANSITION: You behave like that when leaving home,
• Because you want your home to be secure, protected.
• It is your safe space that you will enjoy when you later return.
• In ancient times, living within the city walls was the safe space.
• At night the gates were closed, and watchmen posted on the top of the walls.
• Therefore, the enemy could not get to you. You were safe!
• This proverb says, “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,”
• Meaning wealth gives a measure of protection and safety in this world.
• i.e. Wealth allows you to live in a better neighbourhood (less crime).
• i.e. You might have a better security system for your home, than a poorer person,
• i.e. Unlike a poorer person, you might be able to afford private Medicare.
• i.e. Unlike a poorer person, you might be able to eat healthier food.
• i.e. Unlike a poorer person, you might be able to afford private education.
• The idea in this verse is that poverty puts the poor man at a great disadvantage,
• Sometimes leading to their destruction.
• As mentioned earlier,
• i.e. Could be burgled or robbed.
• i.e. They may end up on a waiting list and not get the healthcare they require.
• So, the rich person can find comfort and security in their bank balance,
• Their strong city.
• Whereas the poor person has no such security and protection.
lesson #3: Proverb 10 verse 22,
“The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.”
• Sometimes people inherit wealth or become wealthy quickly.
• You can see that as, ‘good luck/fortune,’
• But wise people see this as a blessing from the Lord.
Ill:
• We had an incredible sky on Friday night (aurora).
• The quality of photos from Christians and non-Christians has been equally amazing.
• But the words alongside those phots is telling.
• My atheist friends say, “Incredible sky tonight!” or “Wow!”
• My Christian friends say, “The heavens declare the glory of God!”
• Or “Wow! What an amazing God we have.”
• TRANSITION: People seeing the same thing but two totally different responses,
• And we do that with many of the blessings God gives us.
• Some will say inherit wealth or become wealthy quickly.
• That is down to my hard work or, ‘good luck/fortune,’
• Wise people understand that each good gift is a blessing form God.
• (Quote: James chapter 1 verse 17).
“every good gift and every perfect gift are from above and comes down from
the Father of lights
Note: King James Version gives this verse an additional slant.
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”
Not only does God bless certain people with wealth,
• NIV: “without painful toil for it.” – that is without hard work for it.
• KJV: “he addeth no sorrow” - with sorrow attached.
• For many people wealth & riches brings sorrow,
• They just swap one set of problems for another.
Ill:
• Lottery winners find this.
• They suddenly discover new relatives who want a piece of the pie.
• They are bombarded with letters from begging causes.
• Someone wins a huge cash prize. Life promises to be good.
• And it instantly becomes more comfortable.
• But then things turn dark, and what started as an unfathomable blessing,
• For many can slowly reveals itself to be a curse.
• But when God blesses a person with wealth,
• This verse says, “it comes without sorrow,”
• You enjoy the blessings of wealth and not the cure!
lesson #4: Proverb 13 verse 8,
“A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.”
Ill:
• Colombian footballer Luis Díaz plays in the English Premier League.
• His Father was kidnapped last year (November 2023).
• Luis Manuel Díaz's abduction by the National Liberation Army (ELN),
• The ELN said it had kidnapped the 58-year-old and his wife for ransom.
• This is a modern problem for footballers,
• Their family members are easy targets.
• This kidnapping caused outrage in Colombia and abroad.
• And the ELN bowed to public pressure and released him.
Ill:
• DVD Clip: Footballer Luis Díaz reunited with father after kidnapping.
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/9mPoaXW2YXc?si=lafwe5G_KLI8rbbb
• But many rich people have had to pay huge ransoms for the return of a loved one.
• e.g. The Kaspersky Family paid a ransom Amount: $4.5 Million
• e.g. The Greenlease Family paid a ransom Amount: $5.1 Million
• e.g. The Piper Family paid a ransom of $5.7 million in 1972 (approx. $32 million today)
• TRANSITION:
• In a time of crisis, a man’s riches may well ransom his life.
• In contrast: “the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes”.
• Most commentators take this in a positive sense,
• With the idea that the poor will never find himself in that situation.
lesson #5: Proverb 18 verse 11,
“The wealth of the rich is their fortified city.
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.”
• This verse is best understood when you read the verse before it.
• That way you get an important contrast,
• So, let’s read the verse before (#10) says,
“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower.
the righteous run to it and are safe.”
The contrast here is simple:
• Wise people find their strong tower in God and his character,
• But wealthy people often look for security in their riches.
Ill:
• For most of us climbing a high wall is difficult and we would not be able to do it
• The rich man sees his wealth as safe and sure as a high wall around a strong city.
• TRANSITION: Yet this is only in his own understanding.
• The LORD and the wise both know that,
• Wealth is not a truly strong city, and it is not a high wall.
• Therefore, those people have no true refuge when their riches fail them.
• When the storms of life come along, and they will,
• As the old poem says be disappointed and let down.
Ill:
• “Money can buy a bed but not sleep.
• Money can buy books but not brains.
• Money can buy a clock but not time.
• Money can buy food but not appetite.
• Money can buy finery but not beauty.
• Money can buy a house but not a home.
• Money can buy medicine but not health.
• Money can buy position but not respect.
• Money can buy blood but not life.
• Money can buy sex but not love.
• Money can buy insurance but not safety.
• Money can buy food but not appetite.
• Money can buy luxuries but not culture.
• Money can buy amusements but not happiness.
• Money can buy a cross but not a saviour.
• Money can buy a passport to everywhere but not to heaven”.
• TRANSLATION:
• When all you have is wealth, then that is all you have in a time of crises!
• But wise people find their strong tower in God and his character,
• Wise people have a foundation to their lives and an anchor for their souls.
Note: “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower.”
Ill:
• When you hear the name of someone you know,
• You think about that person and who they are,
• The name is more than identification,
• When you know a person, it also speaks of their character.
• Your name carries your reputation.
• TRANSITION:
• God and his name are one and the same.
• Throughout the Bible, it refers to God himself as our strength, our rock, our fortress,
• God is reliable, his name, his reputation testifies to that truth,
• He will not and cannot fail -so trust in him!
lesson #6: Proverb 18 verse 23,
“The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.”
This proverb is neither a command, nor an endorsement.
• It simple reveals a truth about human nature.
• Human nature tends to indulge the wealthy while being impatient with the poor.
Ill:
• Poor people (not talking about lazy people who will not work),
• Poor people who want to work but can’t make enough to pay the bills etc.
• Sometimes only have one option and that is to plead or to beg,
Ill:
• When someone is materially poor, they are also poor in influence,
• They have no powerful voice in society.
• Politicians are not interested in them because they cannot help their careers in anyway.
By contrast:
• Those who are wealthier might be tempted towards arrogance and derision.
• We can easily respond unkindly, even rudely to a poor person,
• Because the wealthy do have resources of money and influence.
• Solomon here described the world as it is, not as it should be.
• We sense in this proverb,
• A quiet plea to make a better world than what is described in the proverb.
Ill:
• Jesus was a friend to beggars.
• i.e. Blind Bartimaeus (Mark chapter 10 verses 46-52),
• He was looked own by the people of his town,
• When he called out, he was told to, “Shut up!”
• But Jesus showed a better way, he valued him, he healed him, he changed him.
lesson #7: Proverb 19 verse 4,
“Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.”
• Quote:
• “A rich man's wealth can attract people like a picnic draws ants.”
• Wealth can earn a person many shallow friends.
• He or she will always have plenty of company.
• Many of these so-called friends do not really care about the wealthy person,
• They are, ‘hangers on,’ interested only in the persons wealth and not the person.
• Their friendship is all about what they can gain, not for what he can give.
Ill:
• The story of the prodigal/lost son (Luke chapter 15).
• When he had lots of money he had lots of friends.
• But when his money ran out, then so did his friends!
• And he found himself alone in a foreign country!
The poor can also have problems with friendships.
• They too may face a similar problem to the wealthy,
• That their so-called friends will also abandon them,
• If they cannot benefit from their friendship.
• Sometimes it’s survival of the fittest – you or me!
• So often we all put, ‘me’ first!
But the book of proverbs also points out positive friendships:
• The last proverb of the previous chapter (#18 verse 24).,
• Says, that some true "friends" can be more loyal than family.
• A modern English expression says, "a friend in need is a friend indeed."
• Implying that those who continue to help and stick with those people,
• Whom they cannot benefit show "true" friendship.
lesson #8: Proverb 21 verse 6,
“A fortune made by a lying tongue.
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
ill:
• One summer morning in the 1920s,
• A Scotsman named Arthur Ferguson was casually standing in London's Trafalgar Square.
• His eyes fixed upon some obviously wealthy American tourists,
• The tourists were admiring the statue Nelson’s column.
• Sudden Ferguson had an idea,
• And he put his remarkable selling ability to work,
• And "sold" Nelson's column to the American for about £6000!
• Realising he was onto a winner,
• Ferguson went on to sell the famous clock Big Ben taking a £1,000 down payment.
• He also took a £2,000 for a down payment from another American tourist,
• As a down payment on Buckingham Palace.
• Ferguson had added the Eiffel Tower & the Statue of Liberty,
• To the list of his amazing "sales"!
• He was eventually caught,
• And spent several years in prison for his remarkable deceptions.
• TRANSITION: Well, that story (some say legend) of Arthur Ferguson.
• And we can smile because none of us were his victims,
• Some people in life are con artists, they are scammers.
• You probably have daily emails or regular telephone calls that prove that fact.
• Some people hope to talk their way into money, and they do it with a lying tongue.
• They make promises that aren’t honest, hoping it can bring them financial reward.
The point this proverb is making is clear:
• Ill-gotten gain is a fleeting pleasure (you make money, and you spend money).
• But it is a crime that has a high punishment,
• It is a snare, a trap it promises riches,
• But deceivers find that they are seeking death,
• Their lifestyle means that one day lose everything, even their soles!
lesson #9: Proverb 30 verses 7-9
“Two things I ask of you, Lord.
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me.
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you.
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so, dishonour the name of my God.”
These three verses contain a wise and humble prayer from Agur.
• Solomon wrote many of the proverbs in this book,
• But a sage called Agur was also a compiler of proverbs,
• And these verses were compiled by him.
In these verses he asked God for two things.
• And notice,
• He wanted to receive them on this side of eternity (vs 7),
• NIV: “Do not refuse me before I die.”
• GNB: “I ask you, God, to let me have two things before I die.”
FIRST REQUEST: Integrity (vs 8a).
• NIV: “Keep falsehood and lies far from me;”
• GNB: “Keep me from lying.”
• Agur wanted to be a man marked by truth, and not by deception and lies.
• He knows that God is a God of truth (Proverbs chapter 30 verses 5-6),
• Therefore, he didn’t want such deception anywhere near him.
SECOND REQUEST: Contentment (vs 8b-9).
“give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you.
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so, dishonour the name of my God”.
Agur knows that life has various pitfalls:
• When we have too much wealth,
• We are tempted to be self-sufficient and not trust God for our needs.
• When we have too little money and we struggle,
• We are tempted to blame God, feeling we have been given a rough deal,
• Agur wanted to be satisfied with God’s provision in his life,
• “Give me only my daily bread.”
• Whether he was rich or poor!
Ill:
• The Lord’s prayer contains that very line, “Give us today our daily bread.”
• Bread – not strawberries and cream – what we need not our greed’s!
• “Daily” – a daily dependence on God and his provision!
Final Application:
• When we come to the New Testament.
• Jesus’s commandment to us was not to seek “riches” or material possessions,
• But rather to seek his Kingdom first (Matthew chapter 6 verse 33),
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
• Put God first, live for him daily,
• And… then everything else would be added to us that we need.
• If we don’t need it then it won’t be added,
• But God has promised to provide for our needs, when we get our priorities right.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=yrkurXWL0TzarW44VShGi4OSUwD44Wtx
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/VUyNvMHY8n4
