He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. (Proverbs 28:22)
Imagine for a moment a treasure hunter who hears about gold in a snake’s pit. Ignoring the serpents, he quickly dives in, pushing poisonous snakes out of the way with his bare hands because he hopes to find some of the gold deposits the old timers told him about. He doesn’t stop to think that the snakes could be poisonous or to plan how to get them out of the way before he dives in!
This is the image that Proverbs 28:22 gives us when it mentions those who hasten to be rich. Haste usually robs us of wisdom, causes us to compromise our beliefs, and hurts others in the process.
Many times, I’ve seen people who used to love God, but after they gained wealth, they lost what was most important in life. I remember one member who started out broke. He came in for counsel about finances and life issues and suddenly got incredibly wealthy by following Scriptural wisdom. However, as soon as he had a full bank account, he stopped coming to church. The money changed him; it changed his attitude; it changed his entire family, and not long after that, they were dead. They didn’t get to spend the money they had because they were gone.
I have heard time and time again people who say, “Once I have time, then I’ll come to church more often, but right now I have to make extra money,” or “As soon as I have this amount of money in the bank, then I’m going to bless the church.” No, they won’t. Money will not help you establish proper priorities; it will just magnify your current priorities. If you don’t make time for God now, you won’t when you have more money.
If you don’t sow seed now, you won’t when you have more money. God blesses us for a purpose - to bless others.
Practical Application
Your legacy is not about what is left in the bank after you die. Your legacy is about the lives you touched and transformed and the generosity by which you lived. Find ways this week to be a blessing to others and don’t just live for gaining more wealth.