A Richer Life
Scripture:
“Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.”
—Proverbs 23:4–5 (NLT)
What are you really working for?
Most of us would say the right things if asked. But if you traced the actual hours of your week, the anxiety that keeps you up at night, the mental energy you spend before you ever get out of bed, what would they point to? Solomon, a man who had more wealth than most of us can imagine, cuts straight to it: don’t wear yourself out chasing more. Why? Because wealth is unreliable. It sprouts wings and flies away like an eagle, here one moment, gone the next. If that is what your security is built on, you are building on something that can disappear before lunch.
The alternative is not passivity. It is reorientation. Instead of exhausting yourself accumulating, Jesus says seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and your essential needs will be met (Matthew 6:33). That is not a prosperity promise. It is a priority promise. When God is at the center, everything else finds its proper place. And the peace that comes with that is worth more than anything a bank account could offer.
“The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.” — A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God¹
That is what Jesus meant when He said He came to give us life to the full (John 10:10). The full life is not a financially comfortable life. It is a life rich in the things money cannot touch. Deep love. Lasting peace. Genuine contentment. True freedom from the anxiety of never having enough. These are not consolation prizes for people who could not get wealthy. They are the actual treasure. And they are found not in an account but in a Person.
It comes down to a choice of masters, and Jesus was plain about it. You cannot serve both God and money. Every day is a vote. But here is the good news: the richest life you could ever live is not out of reach. It is not reserved for people with more faith or fewer financial pressures. It is available to you today, through the One who holds all things and still calls you His own. Turn toward Him. Trust Him with what you have. He has never failed to provide for those who make Him their treasure.
Reflection
- Are you spending more time and energy chasing money than you are pursuing God?
- In what ways have you seen wealth prove fleeting or deceptive in your own life or the lives of others?
- What would it look like to trust God more deeply with your financial needs this week?
Prayer Ask the Lord to realign your priorities if they have been out of order. Confess any trust you have placed in money instead of Him. Pray for contentment and ask for wisdom to steward your resources in a way that honors Him.
Footnote
¹ A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1982), p. 18.