Proverbs 14:24-25 

²⁴The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly. ²⁵A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.

Graduates

         There’s a very young child; he’s puzzled that he was not included when his classmates graduated in kindergarten. Maybe, he thought that he was smart just as the other kindergarten graduates. At that time, he was just more than 5 years old. Their teacher may have thought that he’s still very young for Grade 1.

         And, since he assumed that he was smart, the child went to Grade 1 class without the knowledge of his parents. The Grade 1 teacher accommodated the underage young child because there were very few pupils. His parents learned about it, but let him explored Grade 1. They may have thought that if their child cannot cope up with Grade 1 lessons, he can go back to kindergarten class.

         Graduation came. The Grade 1 teacher surprised his parents, “Purchase new clothes for your child because he will be one of the honor pupils!” Their child learned quicker than what his parents expected. Truly, there are many stories of young children who are academically smarter than their contemporaries.

         Together, let us reflect on what it says in Jeremiah 1:4-8, ⁴The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁵“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” ⁶“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” ⁷But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

         In Hebrew culture, young people are not given much respect. Hebrew preachers should be old enough to be heard. Scholars suggest that Jeremiah may have been a teenager or he was in his early twenties when the Lord called him to preach to the Israelites. Jeremiah was scared that he will be disrespected.

         This hesitation to preach is a reality that commonly entertained not just in biblical times but also anywhere in any generation. Christians are called to join the fulltime ministry but they are scared that people may ignore them, why?

Have you heard someone said, “Wala akong karapatan na magsalita dahil wala akong pera!” “I’ve got no right to speak because I have no money!”

         Many people think that money speaks loudly about success. Certainly, you would rather listen to wealthy people speak and learn from their success story.

1.  Wealth

²⁴The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.

         Someone said, “If you have no money, you have no friend; you have no relatives. If you have much money, you have many friends and many relatives.”

Is that biblical truth? Wealth is crown of the wise. What does that mean?

Of course, King Solomon authored the Book of Proverbs. He talked about wealth as result of wise investment or wealth as product of smartness, skill or intelligence in business transactions, and not inherited wealth. King Solomon was smart. He prayed for wisdom. Let us reflect on what the Lord told King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:11-14, ¹¹God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹²I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. ¹⁴And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

Solomon was wise and wealthy because God granted him wisdom, wealth and honor. But, there are academically smart people who are not acquainted in financial matters. Handling money matters requires skill different from academic intelligence. What do you think? Will you become wealthy if you are wise? It is says in Ecclesiastes 9:15, ¹⁵Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.

         Actually, the Lord Jesus Christ owns everything. He could easily create gold if he wanted, but he chose not to live in luxury while he was on earth.

         If we ask God for wisdom and skill on how to progress and have abundant life, will he grant it? What do you think? The Lord Jesus Christ has come for us to have abundant life. Sometimes, God allows financial abundance to Christians as practical testimony of his grace but not every Christian has become wealthy.

         How do you personally interpret God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:11-12?

¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

         Probably, the exiled Israelites were experiencing poverty at that time. This passage was originally given to the exiled Israelites to encourage them. Many people think that this passage was written for everyone. Even preachers use this passage to preach about prosperity. Truly, prosperity is far better than scarcity. And wealth can be useful to share God’s grace when we witness for Christ.

2.  Witness

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.

         Everything we do, our behavior and lifestyle may solidify our testimony as believers of Christ. What may encourage skeptical listeners to believe in Christ?

If we tell people that God so loved the world, it helps to have concrete evidence that we are also recipients of his love. What practical proof do you have that you experienced the love of God for you? Practically, what did Christ change in you?

         We speak of our personal firsthand experiences as truthful witnesses of Christ. Reliable witnesses talk about their experiences with their own personal senses and not about their personal opinion or what they think. Witnesses can be people who testify or affirm a matter. Monument or stone that serves as reminder or concrete evidence of an event or matter can also be accepted as witness.

Empty Tomb

         The empty tomb where Jesus was buried testified that he resurrected. But the enemies of Jesus devised a plan to mislead people. Matthew 28:11-15 says,

¹¹The guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹²When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

         The guards testified that there was a violent earthquake. They saw an angel of the Lord and rolled back the stone from the tomb and sat on it. The guards testified that the appearance of the angel was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. They were so afraid of him and shaken to death.

         In those times, if a prisoner escaped, the guards will be put to death.

The guards should have been put to death because they cannot tell where the remains of Jesus were. The chief priest and the elders gave money to the guards, instead of punishing them. Meaning, they believed what the guards said.

         The chief priest and the elders believed the story of the guards but instead of telling the truth, they misled others. The guards testified of what they have witnessed. They may have believed that Jesus Christ had resurrected because the tomb was empty, and they were rewarded handsomely. Interesting, right?

         Let’s reflect on what Christ declares in Acts 1:8, ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses.

         What happens when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit? What happens to us when we are inspired and baptized by the Holy Spirit? We receive dynamic power to witness for Christ. When the Holy Spirit of Christ empowers us, we are not hesitant to tell what he changed in our life. Do you have personal experience of change? Are you ready to testify of what Christ has changed in your life?

         God prepared a crown for witnessing for Christ? Scholars suggest that the Crown of Rejoicing awaits witnesses for Christ. It is wise to frequently witness for Christ. Our Crown of Rejoicing could be greater. What do you think?

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