Proverbs Thought of the Day

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty."

- Proverbs 10:15

This bears serious consideration. Let's see the first part of this verse: "The rich man's wealth is his strong city." What do the rich depend on? Their money, of course. They are confident that in any situation all they need to do is use their wealth and their problems are solved. Who needs God when there's money to save us? Money becomes their god; it can buy them out of their difficulties, making them arrogant and self-sufficient.

The second part of the verse states that "the destruction of the poor is their poverty." Unlike the rich, when the poor find themselves in financial trouble, there's nothing to fall back on. The poor begin to covet what others have and they lack. Rather than having faith, the poor succumb to fear and frustration, leading them to take matters into their own hands and getting into worse trouble. This becomes a vicious cycle of envy and deceit, and in the end, destruction.

It's no wonder the wise Agur asked for neither riches nor poverty, but just what was needed to live peacefully and content each day.

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD;

do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches,

but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you

and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'

Or I may become poor and steal,

and so dishonor the name of my God."

- Proverbs 30:7-9

Am I content with what God has given me? Are you?