THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, October 3, 2022

Lord, is this one of the passages of Scripture where skeptics claim the godly should be poor as a church mouse, that it is somehow virtuous for Your followers to just barely squeak by in life? Where did they get this nonsense? Not from the psalmist. He wrote:

“It is better to be godly and have less than to be evil and rich. —Psalm 37:16

The psalmist didn’t state it’s better to be poor than to be rich. Again, that’s nonsense. Poverty is not a virtue (Proverbs 10:15). The psalmist was comparing the godly with the wicked, the righteous with the unrighteous

The godly seek to follow Your will and live a life that pleases You. They may not have the biggest house on the block, the fanciest car, or not even the newest iPhone, but You meet their needs. They live contented, enjoying true riches, knowing what’s important in life. You give their life purpose. However, You have trusted many godly people with great wealth, like Abraham, Jacob, David, or Joseph of Arimathea, but they use their wealth to expand Your Kingdom.

For the wicked, greed drives them since their wealth is their god. They are never content. Nothing satisfies their insatiable desire for more—more wealth, more power, more control. But all the things money can buy, all the power or influence they gain, still leaves them empty on the inside. Only You, God, can satisfy that void in their soul.

Thank You, Lord, that in knowing You we find the true riches in life. Amen.