Enduring Wealth
Proverbs 8:17-18
17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. 18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
Prosperity Gospel
What do you think? Why is it that prosperity gospel attracts many people? It is not only about eloquence of speakers. It is not only about motivation. People attend an assembly of prosperity gospel because they are hoping to discover a secret of prosperity very quickly. They want to prosper. They are tired of their ordinary situation or worst terrible difficulties in life. Don’t you want to get rich?
Does God want us to have life of abundant prosperity or life of poverty?
Did you know that Abraham obeyed God because God promised to bless him?
Personally, what do you interpret when it had narrated in Genesis 12:1-3?
1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
The term “blessing” had become very ordinary. What is blessing from God? Every good thing that makes us happy is blessing from God. When inspired by the Holy Spirit, blessing is magically attractive. Can you accept that godly blessing is like heavenly experience on earth, as if we have already been to heaven?
What’s your idea? How do you imagine heaven? Heaven is eternal joy that you can ever dream or imagine; it is the most wonderful life you can ever have.
And that should be the experience of blessing from God. But, why is it that only few individuals seriously covet the blessing of God? To internalize personally and conceptualize blessing from God, we need faith and help from his Holy Spirit.
Abraham was the father of believers who have faith in God. When his faith was active, he trusted and obeyed God; he may have imagined that the blessing of the Lord was all he cherished, even before he set foot in the Promise Land.
So when the Holy Spirit inspires us, we desire blessing that God prepared for obedience to him; his blessing is everything we can ever cherish. Certainly, we need godly wisdom to take practical step and diligently follow his instructions.
1. Diligent
17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Interestingly, the term “seek” is properly interpreted as diligent search.
Seeking is not simple effort; we don’t just try to find wisdom. Intentionally, we exert the best personal effort and practical ability we can do to seek wisdom.
Wisdom says, “I love those who love me.” Wisdom returns the same favor of love we give for wisdom. When we love wisdom, we also cherish the result of wisdom. What does loving wisdom include? When we spend resources to acquire wisdom, wisdom will return similar favor or even more than we could expect.
Doctor
When we hear the word “doctor,” medical doctors easily comes to mind. Right? Yet, there are other fields of doctoral studies outside medical practices. Doctor of Philosophy for instance! Doctoral study is universally accepted as the highest level of educational degree that can be awarded in any field of study.
Those who completed their doctoral study would love to be called doctor because the term “doctor” commands respect, especially from educated people who understand the diligence exerted to achieve the highest level of education. There are individuals who have no respect of doctors, why? They have no idea how doctors diligently studied to complete their doctoral accomplishment.
Similarly, wisdom can only be appreciated by anyone who desire wisdom.
Let us learn from the testimony of Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:4-9: 4If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him.
Apostle Paul was privileged as a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin. Why? Pharisees have doctorate in religious laws, and the Benjamites felt honored that their ancestor Benjamin was the only son of Israel who was born in Canaan.
Others may desire those privileges but Paul counted them as garbage as compared to the durable treasures he expected to receive for obeying Christ.
2. Durable
18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
Wisdom promises riches, honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. Seek godly wisdom and find riches honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. Do you believe it?
Remember that it was King Solomon the wisest and richest king of Israel who wrote this proverb from God. Certainly, the wise king personally internalized it without any doubt, why? He practically proven that godly wisdom prospered him, he was famous, and he was respected not only by his people and officials but also other nations. His wealth had lasted, endured for many years after his death.
Interestingly, the term “prosperity” is also interpreted as “righteousness or righteous governance.” This is why we should always pray that our government officials would be blessed with godly wisdom so that they may diligently perform their responsibilities in the government righteously. What do you think?
How do you personally internalize what is commanded in Jeremiah 29:7?
7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.
Can you readily admit that you are situated where you are because God situates you there, that it is God who put you in that situation, position or place?
If so, do you accept that his command to the exiled Israelites is applicable to you?
Again, when you cannot readily accept a command of God, pray for God’s enlightenment and godly wisdom, how you may practically obey his instructions. Whenever there’s resistance, as if you want to follow your idea, seek inspiration from the Holy Spirit. He guides us into all truth.
Reflect on what John 16:13 says, 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
Reflect on this reality from the Scripture: Most of the famous characters in the Scripture, if not all of them, had exemplary life whenever they trusted in God.
Beginning from the first century, the Christian community had increased, but only a few great names of believers were mentioned in the next generations.
When Jesus Christ instructed us to store up for ourselves eternal treasures in heaven, he wants us to have durable treasure that we’ll cherish in all eternity.
Aspire for enduring wealth for yourselves that will last forever in heaven.
Keep storing up eternal treasure for yourselves in heaven, starting today.
Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit always.
Pray for godly wisdom seriously.
><((‘> .. ><((‘> … ><(((“> tmec\2023 <“)))>< … <‘))>< .. <‘))><
