Where Your Treasure Is

I must say I was slightly annoyed when I was recently forwarded this Rick Warren devotion by email:

[[[“Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it” –Proverbs 21:20, TEV.  Today’s verse shows us God’s IQ test. Let’s see how smart you are: Wise people save for the future, but foolish people spend whatever they get. If we want God’s blessing on our finances, we must learn to save and invest for the future. We need to save regardless of income because the point is that God is teaching us to be disciplined and wise with our money. He is teaching us to live on less than we make each month so that we can intentionally put away some to save. God says that’s being responsible.]]]

Huh??? First of all, I want to say that I agree with the issue of responsibility here. What I don’t like is when statements from human beings (with finite minds like my own) start with “God says…” Second, what translation of the Bible is this? I’m concerned that it could be misinterpreted that wealth is the defining factor of whether or not someone is wise. And how irreverent is the comment about God’s IQ Test!?! For crying out loud!

So, when I looked up numerous other translations of the same verse, most of them were stated more like this:

“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spendeth it up”  –Proverbs 21:20, NKJV. While I believe God blesses us all differently, he expects us to be good stewards of our material blessings. I do not believe that he intends for all Christians to be wealthy, and I certainly don’t believe any should live in excess or luxury. There are people who lived meagerly, if not downright poor, and they are some of my greatest heroes of the faith…i.e. Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Paul of Tarsus:

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”-Phillipians 3:8-10,NIV

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength."       -Phillipians 4:11-13, NIV

He was the “Who’s Who” of the Jewish elite before he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road, and then he gave up everything to follow God, even when it meant shipwrecks, beatings, prison, going hungry, freezing cold, and even death. Paul followed God with no regard for his own personal comfort or safety.  I believe too many modern teachers like Rick Warren promote a “prosperity gospel” and that is not the full truth! Remember, we must never conform the Gospel to support our worldview, instead we must conform our worldview to the Gospel.

Jesus had quite a bit to say about money, and His teachings were considered radical back then. And they are considered just as radical among many Christians today. Because of what Jesus says throughout the gospels, I believe that the treasures and oil spoken of in the Proverb are the “spiritual riches of wisdom and devotion to God,” not “treasure on earth."

"Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” -Matthew 25:1-4, NASB 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Matthew 6:19-21,NASB

“Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’”  – Mark 10:21, NASB

“And He told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” –Luke 12:16-21,NASB

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.’ And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, ^‘As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.’”-Luke 21:1-10, NASB

I believe there are many who are materially wealthy and broke spiritually. To be what is considered poor, responsibly meeting all of my financial obligations and giving until it hurts, like Jesus said, this is what I believe will make me wealthy and wise. I believe that this is the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. Such is the life of a missionary, and that’s the kind of life I want.

As you can see, this is something I’m very passionate about…I’ll step down off of my soap box now. LOL. ;)