Proverbs 13:7-8 

⁷ One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. ⁸ A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.

Watch Again

         What movie do you like to watch again? I like watching the movie, “The Land Before Time.” It’s a fantasy cartoon about adventures of young dinosaurs. It prompts me reflect back to my shares of adventurism when I was younger.

         Cartoons or movies may or may not portray real incidents, and movie actors and actresses would pretend to be somebody to actualize their assigned roles. In a way, movie actors are commonly viewed as pretenders. So to advance their personal agenda, many people may pretend also to be somebody else. Pretension is disillusion or delusion that had deceived the first human beings.

         Meditatively together, let us reflect on what happened in Genesis 3:1-3.

¹The serpent said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ²The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

         The serpent pretended to be interested in what God commanded mankind. And Eve may have assumed, “This serpent must know what God commanded.” It was too late for them to realize they disobeyed the Lord. They fall into the trap of the serpent. The serpent enticed them to taste and test if eating the forbidden fruit has any effect. This reality of deception is most often used by businessmen.

         Businessmen would offer free tasting and testing of their products; they hope that you become their regular costumer. Some car dealers offer one week test drive. If they allow you to test drive for a week, ask if you can try different cars. Then take a friend to a date and pretend like you’ve got different cars.

1.  Pretend

⁷One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

         Pretension had become normal also among costumers anywhere. Church attendees had been pretending. They try new clothes, bags or jewelry and took a picture then return the item. The return and refund privilege for costumers had been abused. They buy new clothes or bags but keep the price tag and receipt. Then they return the clothes at the store for refund after using them for a date.

         Remember this: Whenever you buy new clothes, be sure to disinfect them. Those clothes may have been used or returned by costumer with skin disease.

Together, let us reflect on what it says in 1 Timothy 2:8-10, ⁸I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. ⁹I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

         As believers of Christ, we cannot gain any spiritual advantages if we are trying to impress others with materialism. We would rather boast in the Lord. By the way, did you know that boasting in the Lord is biblically accepted? Really! How is that? To boast or brag about something is not humility, right? And the Lord prefers humble people. How can boasting in the Lord be acceptable?

         Reflect on what the Lord says in Jeremiah 9:23-24, ²³“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, ²⁴but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

         Humans may boast of what they have accomplished, but before God, we have nothing to boast. Yet the Lord wants us to know him. He delights when we testify about personal experiences of his kindness, justice and righteousness. The Holy Spirit had inspired King David to declare in Psalm 36:10, ¹⁰Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.

         Knowing God and his righteousness is not only head knowledge. It is more of intimate personal experience of his kindness, justice and righteousness. The result of experiencing his righteousness is boasting in the Lord. We boast about the goodness of the Lord; we testify. And how should we interpret Psalm 125:4?

⁴ Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.

         To declare his goodness without any prompter practically expresses faith in the Lord. The Holy Spirit inspires us to gladly testify about his righteousness. Relatives and friends expect material blessings from immigrants returning to their country of origin. Take that opportunity to testify about the goodness of God. Tell recipients of your material abundance that the Lord blessed you to be a blessing to them. They may be able to pay back your goodness, but at least they may pay attention to your testimony, and they may seek the Lord for help hopefully.

2.  Pay

⁸ A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.

How should we interpret that? Kidnappers choose the rich, and demand payment or ransom for their release. The poor has no money to pay a ransom.

So, even if the poor are threatened, they cannot do anything to pay their ransom. Of course, kidnappers know such reality that it is useless effort to kidnap the poor. They have nothing to gain. Does it mean then that being poor is better? To have wealth is far better than being poor who have nothingness.

How do you interpret what it Ecclesiastes 10:19 says? ¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.

Laughter implies relaxing life. Rich people drink wine for merriment during jolly moments and relaxation. They have no worries about material things; no worries about monthly bills. They can go fishing anytime, not just during holidays. They can fly anywhere they want privately, even if pilots or stewardesses strike. They don’t worry about being stranded at the airport. It’s tough to be stranded.

Maybe airline employees go on strike because they also want luxuries that they observed from their rich employers or wealthy passengers who enjoy their services. Having much money cannot satisfy anybody. Do you like more money?

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, ¹⁰Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

The Scripture says that love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Have you asked yourself if you love money? How do you practically evaluate yourself if you love money or not? The wisest king of Israel declares that we love wealth, if we are never satisfied with our income. Even wealthy people want more money. Anyone who loves money will never has enough money. Everyone wants more.

Per Hour

         How much do Canadian nurses receive for one hour of service? The entry level salary of Canadian nurses is about $35 per hour. The more years of work experiences Canadian nurses have, the more they get higher salaries.

         Someone observed that nurses in their company initiated strike to demand an increase of salary. Another ordinary employee who receives a minimum wage was puzzled and asked the other employee, “Why the nurses cannot be satisfied with their salary? Their salary is double more than we ordinary employees get.”

         There’s a Filipino saying that says, “Kung gaano kalaki ang botones ganun din ang ohales.” In English, “The size of the button is the basis of button hole.” For better fit, button hole should match the size of the button. If button hole is bigger than the button, it’s problematic. Likewise, big button won’t fit in smaller button hole. The button and the hole should match each other in size. What does it mean? The more money you get, the bigger your expenditure could be.

Expenditure should not be larger than your salary. Or else, you will have financial problem. It is much wiser to have expenditure lesser than salary.

         But for Christians, expenditure of material wealth should not be just limited to support our life on earth. Together, let us reflect on 2 Corinthians 9:8-11,

⁸God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” ¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

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