Are You Rich?

Today’s Passages – Proverbs 7 – 10; Proverbs 17

(Second Milers also read – Mark 5 – 6; Memorize – Genesis 1:26)

“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)

What determines the true wealth of a man?  Is it the amount of money he has in his bank account?  Is it the number of acres he owns or the size of his house?  Perhaps it might be the number of toys and possessions that he has been able to accumulate in his lifetime?  Can richness be measured by the world’s standards?  This world puts a great deal of emphasis on material gain and financial success, and to some degree they are right, because one of the ways that God blesses His children is by providing them with their needs, and even some of their desires. But the truth is, the world is replete with people who have “this world’s goods”, but are not rich. Why?  Because they lack the blessing of the Lord. Let me list for you some of the reasons why I feel that I am the richest man on earth:

1  My Father is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and all of the silver and gold belongs to Him. Because I am His child, everything that He has is mine as well.  Everything that I need is provided for me. I am completely content, because there is nothing that I will ever need that will not be provided for me.

2  My Family is truly a blessing from God. He has given me the most beautiful wife in all of the world along with four wonderful children (and now a son-in-law, and a daughter-in-law).  They are for me; they support me; they encourage me; they assist me; they love me as I am even with all of my faults.

3  My Friends are also extremely valuable to me.  I have a few friends that I believe would take a bullet for me. They are loyal and true, even when things aren’t going so well.

4  My Future looks even brighter. My needs for the rest of my life are guaranteed, and I have a mansion waiting for me in Heaven when I have finished His purpose for me on earth.

How about you? Have you been measuring your wealth the same way the world does? Maybe you are actually richer than you thought? If you are experiencing the blessing of the Lord, you are a rich man indeed.