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Wisdom literature imparts principles and guidelines relevant to various areas of the believer’s life, such as marriage, parenting, friendships, personal integrity, business dealings, poverty, and wealth. A common thread throughout Proverbs is that one’s faithful commitment to a lifestyle aligned with God’s holy standards will generally result in benefits and blessings. An example is found in Proverbs 10:22: “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.”
Many proverbs compare and contrast the life consequences reaped by the righteous versus the wicked. The righteous are blessed with long life and success (Proverbs 2:21; 3:4; 10:27; 12:28), while the wicked will be destroyed (Proverbs 2:22; 10:30; 11:19). These maxims reinforce the truth that the godly, in general, enjoy security and prosperity while the ungodly experience hardship and want:
• “The Lord will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked” (Proverbs 10:3, NLT).
• “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed” (Proverbs 10:9, NLT).
• “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation” (Proverbs 10:25, NLT).
In ancient Israel, the Lord’s blessing was often associated with material wealth, prosperity, and abundance (see Genesis 24:35; 26:12; Deuteronomy 8:18). However, the blessing of the Lord brings wealth does not mean that all who live righteously will possess wealth or that being wealthy guarantees one’s godly character. Other proverbs and Bible passages warn against pursuing riches (Proverbs 15:27; 23:4; 28:20; Matthew 6:19; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10; Hebrews 13:5). Many pitfalls and complications come with accumulating great wealth. For this reason, Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.”• “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed” (Proverbs 10:9, NLT).
• “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation” (Proverbs 10:25, NLT).
Those who painstakingly toil to be rich through their own devices and for their own exaltation will discover a life fraught with problems and frustrations. They will fail to enjoy the blessing of the Lord in their wealth. They won’t understand that God “makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up” (1 Samuel 2:7, NLT). Job knew well that his wealth was a blessing from God, but he also learned not to “accept only good things from the hand of God” (Job 2:10, NLT). The righteous person knows that God can bring wealth and want alike (Job 1:21; Psalm 75:7).
If the Lord blesses us with wealth, He will help us avoid all the traps and predicaments that keep us from enjoying His goodness. We must learn to keep God as the center and treasure of our lives (Psalm 62:10; Matthew 6:19–24; Luke 12:15), understanding that everything we have comes from Him and belongs to Him (Deuteronomy 8:18; Psalm 50:10; 1 Corinthians 4:7). The apostle Paul wrote, “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17, NLT).
If the blessing of the Lord brings wealth, we are called to be good and faithful stewards of it (Matthew 25:14–30; Luke 16:1–12). Whenever God entrusts us with much, He requires much from us, including generosity (Luke 6:38; 12:48; Romans 12:13) in giving to and caring for the poor and needy (Proverbs 28:27; 1 John 3:17; 1 Timothy 6:18; James 1:27). Solomon instructs, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine” (Proverbs 3:9–10, NLT). God entrusts His faithful servants with wealth so they can channel His blessings to others (see Malachi 3:10; 1 Timothy 6:18).
