The Duties of Wealth

‘May you prosper even as your soul prospers.’ 3 John 1-6.

Wealth, is a sign of blessing and as Christians, we have an obligation in the matters of wealth and the stewardship of it.

In the words of the wise man, it is ‘the blessing of the Lord which makes rich and He adds no sorrow to it.’ Prov 10:22. God bestows true riches and blessing upon those who gain His favour, Accordingly, He ‘takes from one and gives to another’ that he might ‘have an abundance.’ ‘There is one who scatters abroad and increases the more … He who waters will himself be watered.’ Prov 11:24-25.

If we participate in a genuine ‘fellowship of giving and receiving’ then there will be provision for every family, every congregation of believers, and the necessary resources for the advancement of the gospel. More so, the apostle Paul saw beyond the value of the gift, to the ‘profit which increased to the account’ of the giver. He considered that both the gift and the giver were one and the same thing. He considered their offering to be a ‘fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.’ Phil 4:17-19.

‘Honour the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce’

Your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.’ Prov 3:9-10.

Giving is our acknowledgment that God is watching over all our endeavours until they come to harvest and fruit. His promise is that ‘your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow.’

‘It is the blessing of the Lord which makes rich and He adds no sorrow to it’. Prov 10:23.

The evidence of our blessing is not in material wealth but rather in an abundance of grace. Material wealth may well be the evidence of this abundant grace, but not in every case. There are those to whom great riches and wealth are given, but through various circumstances they have no power to eat of those riches. They are ‘pierced through with many anxieties and sorrows.’ I Tim 6:19. We are warned: ‘if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.’ ‘Do not set our heart upon riches for they ‘make wings for themselves’. Prov 23:5.

‘The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honour and life’. Prov 22:4.

God is not mocked, He pays wages for faithful and diligent service to Him. He grants to us a field for sowing and reaping. And each person, according to what they have sown, reaps in like manner. There are already, ‘those who labour and earn wages and store up fruit unto eternity’. It is fundamental to the economy of God that if we ‘give ... it will be given to us in return’. Luke 6:38. When we give to God and to His people, God Himself promises that He will ‘open the windows of heaven and pour out an abundance until there is no lack’. Mal 3:8- 12. Truly, ‘the generous man will prosper’. Prov 11:25

‘He who gathers by labour will increase’. Prov 13:11

We will not increase, within the economy of God, unless we diligently labour. Nevertheless, nothing comes of our labour unless God blesses the work of our hands. The wise man spoke of a blessed place where we have neither riches nor poverty. Paul spoke of godliness as great gain when it is accompanied by contentment and acceptance of circumstances in life. Our problem is not poverty or wealth, but a responsible stewardship of our resources. If we have great wealth we will incur commensurate responsibilities. If we have poverty, we will be compelled to trust God without resentment or envy towards those who appear to be above our station. King David testified that he had ‘never seen the righteous forsaken or his children’s children begging bread’. Ps 37:25.

‘He who gives to the poor, lends to the Lord.’ Prov 19:17.

The Kingdom of God and its economy is energized, is generated by a ‘fellowship of giving and receiving’. Phil 4:15. And further, the book of Deuteronomy commands us to lend to the poor. Surely this command to lend, rather than give, is no coincidence. To give to the poor in some cases, may be foolish. By lending to the poor we might help them to manage well. Alternatively, Jesus commands us, ‘freely you have received, freely give’. Matt 10:8.

Our capacity to give ‘generously’ and ‘cheerfully’ is born, when we acknowledge that we have likewise freely received. And that everything we possess belongs of God. Indeed, He has committed His wealth and resources to us. ‘You are to give generously … your heart shall not be aggrieved when you give … the poor will never cease to be in the land … you shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in the land …. You shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.’ Deut 15:10-14.

When we give we must resist the inclination to control or supervise the use of our gift. The fear of loss or wastage must not motivate us. We should give freely, trusting that God is able to abound to us in return. We ought to hold loosely, our resources and wealth. Otherwise, we will give only when we experience abundance. True giving comes from lack not just excess.

‘Do not be anxious for tomorrow. ’ Matt 6:31.

Unwillingness to give may be rooted in anxiety for tomorrow. This anxiety wars against our trust in God as provider. Wealth is no protection and a guarantee against tomorrow, this is a myth. The futility of compulsive saving is evidently upon us as interest rates rise and our currency is re-valued. In his gospel, Luke spoke of days of economic crisis, ‘when it fails’, and of the ‘uncertainty of riches’.

Remember the words of Jesus to the rich man, ‘do you not know that your soul is required of you this very night.’ This rich man was completely deceived. He had ‘laid up treasures for himself but was not rich toward God’. He said in his heart, I ‘have many goods laid up for many years to come’. He was deceived by the myth of his own riches.

David Falk

Return to top

Feature Articles
March 2008

Reckoning Faith

The Sound of Home

The Duties of Wealth

The Mystery of Lack

A Good Shepherd

The Overstated Metaphor