Proverbs 13:7
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing:
There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
We judge so much by outward appearance. If a man can show the glitters, lights and colors associated with wealth we automatically assume that he is rich. We totally forget that a close look at his financial situation reveals that he owes more than he owns. We omit to realize that the repayment of his debt is dependant on the many uncertain factors that affect our economy.
The Bible teaches that when a man borrows he becomes slave to the lender. When we borrow to buy housing or a means of transportation, we work to repay the person who lent to us. In most cases it is the bank. This is why in ancient Israel, people followed the Bible’s mandate to bail family members in financial distress by employing them until they got back on their feet. Today, we enslave ourselves to the bank. Worst of all, we enslave ourselves to our greed. On the other hand, the little guy in Africa who owns his mud hut his ox and his cart owing to anyone is a free man. It is a social anomaly when a man cannot own his housing and transportation without having to first enslave himself. God did not ordain things so.
Worst than financial slavery by pretending to be rich, there is spiritual pride. It is easy for an unscrupulous person to utter all the right spiritual jargon and therewith intimidate people into false teaching and doctrines really based on ignorance. Whereas this man/woman pretends to be rich in knowledge, he/she is actually faking. And because no one likes to appear stupid, like in the famous story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes”, nobody dares to tell the ‘king’ he is actually naked.
Yahoshua, our master taught us the way to be in these matters. Actually, He didn’t teach us, He showed us. He was the One who, though He owned the cattle on a thousand hills, being the owner of all creation came down to earth and made Himself poor in order to bring us back with him. Let us not be guilty of false wealth nor of spiritual pride but follow His example. May we know how to condescend to poverty in order to bring others to the wealth of salvation.
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing:
There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
We judge so much by outward appearance. If a man can show the glitters, lights and colors associated with wealth we automatically assume that he is rich. We totally forget that a close look at his financial situation reveals that he owes more than he owns. We omit to realize that the repayment of his debt is dependant on the many uncertain factors that affect our economy.
The Bible teaches that when a man borrows he becomes slave to the lender. When we borrow to buy housing or a means of transportation, we work to repay the person who lent to us. In most cases it is the bank. This is why in ancient Israel, people followed the Bible’s mandate to bail family members in financial distress by employing them until they got back on their feet. Today, we enslave ourselves to the bank. Worst of all, we enslave ourselves to our greed. On the other hand, the little guy in Africa who owns his mud hut his ox and his cart owing to anyone is a free man. It is a social anomaly when a man cannot own his housing and transportation without having to first enslave himself. God did not ordain things so.
Worst than financial slavery by pretending to be rich, there is spiritual pride. It is easy for an unscrupulous person to utter all the right spiritual jargon and therewith intimidate people into false teaching and doctrines really based on ignorance. Whereas this man/woman pretends to be rich in knowledge, he/she is actually faking. And because no one likes to appear stupid, like in the famous story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes”, nobody dares to tell the ‘king’ he is actually naked.
Yahoshua, our master taught us the way to be in these matters. Actually, He didn’t teach us, He showed us. He was the One who, though He owned the cattle on a thousand hills, being the owner of all creation came down to earth and made Himself poor in order to bring us back with him. Let us not be guilty of false wealth nor of spiritual pride but follow His example. May we know how to condescend to poverty in order to bring others to the wealth of salvation.
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