A Proverb for the Day 10:15
February 20th, 2009“The rich man’s wealth is his fortress, The ruin of the poor is their poverty” (Proverbs 10:15 NASU). A failure to trust in God will lead ruin whether rich or poor (cf. Proverbs 30:7-9). The rich man depends on his wealth for his fortress, but it only seems strong (cf. Proverbs 18:11). Wealth definitely has its advantages, but we must be careful not to give ourselves over to a love of money (1 Timothy 6:10), to fix our hope upon riches (1 Timothy 6:17), or to make riches our God (Matthew 6:24, Luke 12:15). On the other hand, poverty can become an excuse for people. The poor often look down on themselves. They dwell upon what they don’t have that others have. They begin to think of themselves as worthless. These thoughts can lead to destroy their self-esteem and bring their lives to ruin. The solution is to place our trust in God, be content with what He has given us, and use what we have to serve him (cf. Philippians 4:12-13).
