Where Is the Line?
“So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day.” Psalms 49:16-19 NLT
The wicked are often mentioned in God’s Word as people who pursue wealth and boast in it—finding their peace and security in their belongings. We are warned over and over again not to become jealous of what they have, because accumulating things in this way is meaningless and harmful.
“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10 NLT
Sometimes, Christians can read passages like these and quickly conclude, “Got it! Having nice things is bad.” But this isn’t the case either. God often blesses His children with good things, and the enemy would love to heap shame on us and make us feel unworthy of receiving and enjoying God’s provision when it comes. So where is the line? How do we know the difference?
Proverbs 10 gives us two simple and clear pictures that help us discern the difference:
“The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.” Proverbs 10:16 NLT
First, we can ask ourselves, “Does this enhance my life as a follower of Jesus, or does it pull me further away from Him?”
Notice that what the godly have enhances the good that is already there. It provides for their families. It gives them the opportunity to care for others out of the abundance they’ve been given. Because godly people prioritize their walk with Jesus above anything else, they are not attached to their belongings and could freely give them away should the Lord lead them to do so. They realize everything they have is His. They aren’t constantly wanting more. They receive what they have with gratitude, knowing that every good thing comes from God.
The opposite described here is to squander—to waste in a reckless or extravagant way that leads to sin. This could be obvious sin, like getting involved in drunkenness or immoral activities, but sin can be subtle too. It might look like anxiously funding our college and retirement accounts, putting our trust in financial security above God. It could be a constant desire for more that is unquenchable and leaves us miserable. It may lead us to ignore God’s gentle whisper to give something away. It leaves us unsatisfied and ungrateful. It can even motivate us to lie, cheat, or steal our way into wealth, abandoning people we once loved (like Judas, who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver).
“The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 NLT
Secondly, we can use sorrow as an indicator to check our heart posture when it comes to what we have. Proverbs 10 and 1 Timothy 6 both use sorrow as a sign of wealth pursued with the wrong motives. Have I wanted this so badly that I feel empty now that I have it? Do I feel unsatisfied? Has this distracted me from my walk with Jesus?
Whether we have little or much, these truths apply. You don’t have to have a lot of money or resources for it to become an idol in your life. It is a posture of the heart—seeking the provision more than the Provider. Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17), and as we follow Jesus, He frees us from the constant desire for more that destroys us, all the while providing for our needs and blessing us with so much to thank Him for daily.
Is there something you have or want that has taken a place in your heart above Jesus? What might you need to surrender to Him today?
What has God blessed you with? Take a moment to thank Him today.
