Proverbs 11: Riches Wont Help

RICHES WON’T HELP (11:4–9): Only right living safeguards against death.

 ⁴ Money is worthless when you face God’s punishment, but living right will save you from death.

Amen- you cant take it with you.  In the long run, if the acquisition of wealth robs you of character, integrity, relationships and salvation ---you are paying much more for your worldly goods than you ever realized.  Remember that Jesus taught us to pray, “On earth as it is in Heaven”- that means heaven is right here, right now.  If worldly acquisition is your focus, I would offer that you already feel the absence of God- and that would be punishment enough as my feet walk on this earth, never mind eternity! 

People will ask about my relationship with God. There is nothing worth more to me than my continued time in His presence.  The gifts of the Spirit are priceless to me, His Joy present in all I do is what I strive for . For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.

Living right will save us from eternal suffering.  We are all going to live forever – the question is where. We GET to enjoy our God on this side of eternity in our every day moments. This is a richness beyond compare,

⁵ Doing right makes life better for those who are good, but the wicked are destroyed by their own wicked ways.

⁶ Doing right sets honest people free, but people who can’t be trusted are trapped by their greed.

⁷ When the wicked die, all their hopes are lost; everything they thought they could do comes to nothing.

⁸ Good people escape from trouble, but the wicked come along and are trapped by it.

⁹ With their words hypocrites can destroy their neighbors. But with what they know, good people can escape.

Here we see consequences:

·      The wicked are destroyed b their wicked ways – a house of cards that will surely topple.

·      They are trapped by their greed.

·      They are trapped by trouble

·      They can trap and be trapped by words.

We all need a Savior and life is sweeter with Wisdom by our side.

·      Life is better

·      We are set free through honesty

·      We escape from trouble- How do you think? How does Wisdom keep us safe?

·      We can escape the words of hypocrites.  How?  How can these words not penetrate into our sanctity of peace?

How can you take these ideas and live by them, not allowing trouble into your heart….or lies and words that don’t edify?  How can you make changes in your daily decisions?