Working for Wealth – Proverbs 23:4-5

I find this guy’s video really intriguing.  It is titled, “Stop Working for Money & Start Building Wealth!”  Is he advocating building wealth or quality of life, and does the one depend on the other?  It is an assumption of American culture that we should want to be wealthy.

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.  When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:4–5, ESV)

If it doesn’t make sense to work for wealth, because wealth is too fleeting, then why should we work?

  1. To make our daily necessities (Proverbs 14:23 – In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.)
  2. To help others (Proverbs 14:31 – Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.)
  3. To honor and emulate Yahweh (Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.)
  4. To keep others from having to help you (Proverbs 18:9 – Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.)
  5. ? Do you have another reason you should work?
Randall Johnson

About the Author

Randall Johnson

A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.

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