Proverbs 19:3-4

³A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord. ⁴Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

Comedian

There was a comedian who claimed his wife love him so much. The comedian revealed, “My wife told me as her tears dropped, ‘My mother did not like you but I stood on my ground.’ The truth is, the others suitors of my wife have practically good livelihood. One has a farmland. Another suitor has gasoline station. But I am richer than them. I have my own world!”

Young people, what do you require from anyone who possibly wishes to be your spouse? Do you ask if the person has farmland? How about fishing boat? Do you ask if the person knows how to cook food or bake? Maybe you indirectly inquire, “Who among your siblings love to cook, bake or paly musical instruments?” That could also start of good conversation.

These days, young people are smart in their approach to marriage. They make sure they have some savings to start their family. In some cultures, wealthy parents arrange marriage for their children and choose anyone from wealthy family or powerful clan or with similar social status.

Wealth is practically useful in our daily life. Personally, how do you explain what it announces in Ecclesiastes 10:19? ¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.

In many cultures, drinking wine has been an old age customary practice of merry making festivities. The more luxurious the preparation could be, the more fun they could have. Of course, participants want to have more fun. Luxurious feast exhibits the wealth of celebrants.

Do you know of someone who would borrow money just to celebrate exorbitantly? Does that not only proves ridiculous foolishness in a person?

1. Folly

                                  ³A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,

                             yet their heart rages against the Lord.

Foolish or not, many people try to exert much effort just to make their dreams come true. It is nice to have a dream but it is smart to seek the will of God. God gave us life. He designed the best life we can explore. He may allows us to exert our best ability on our own way. But we can experience the best adventure we can ever live when by faith we trust and obey God.

If we follow the righteous path of God, it leads us to victorious life.

To obey God, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He helps us discern, understand and choose which practical step to take. Together, let’s reflect on what it declares in Isaiah 11:1-2, ¹A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. ²The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.

The shoot from Jesse pertains to our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ has the sevenfold spirit. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our life, the Lord sent the Holy Spirit of Christ in our hearts. Since by faith we believe that the Spirit of Christ lives in our heart, does it also follow that the sevenfold spirit of Christ is available for our benefits? How can we personally benefit?

The Lord teaches about the vineyard owner who punished those who killed his son. Learn from responses when Christ rebuked in Mark 12:12, ¹²Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

His enemies understood that Jesus was rebuking them but they did not repent. Instead they follow their evil heart and schemed against him. The Holy Spirit speaks very clearly to us, and our response reveal our faith in Christ. If by faith we obey him, we sense gladness, no matter the cost.

Gamaliel

In the first century, enemies of the gospel of Christ interrogated the disciples. A pharisee Gamaliel intervened and advised in Acts 5:38-42:

³⁸“Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. ³⁹But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

⁴⁰His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴²Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah

We expect blessings when we attend church. As practical proof the Holy Spirit’s presence in us, we rejoice to be counted worthy of suffering disgrace for Christ. We can rejoice even in persecution. Christ invites us to find rest in him. We just need to listen attentively and follow his instruction.

We love to sing, “What a friend we have in Jesus!” Practically, when we find rest in Christ, we know that our friendship with him is intimate.

2. Friend

                                                ⁴Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

Are you a friend of Jesus? Are you attracted by wealth? When peers are advancing in their career, the pressure to prioritize wealth is no joke. Then seriously re-evaluate how intimate your friendship with Christ is.

Many rich people testify that wealth is useful but cannot fill the void, longing, emptiness of craving for satisfaction. Intentionally, God created in us a void of yearning for eternal contentment for us search fulfilment in him.

The wise King Solomon testified about it in Ecclesiastes 3:10-11, ¹⁰I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. ¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

King Solomon had wisdom from God. He was extremely wealthy. He toiled and had multiple achievements. He tried pleasure even folly. But, King Solomon concluded that all those attainments were meaningless. They cannot give eternal satisfaction. Eternal longing to contentment can only be filled by our eternally satisfied God. Can you accept what Apostle Paul announced in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, ⁶Godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Whether we become rich or not yet, we try our best to be contented with what we have. Many college students participate in worship services but when they start working, they quit serving and focused on building their career, why? It’s reality. Does God want us to have successful career? Yes!

Age won’t define success. Moses started at 80. Abraham at 100. Joseph, David, Daniel started at young age. All of them waited upon the Lord for their success. God designed right career for us that brings glory to his name. How should we approach career that glorifies God? We pray to discern God’s divine appointment for success that he designed for us.

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