After having many hard hitting, and, if we are honest, painful truths, laid upon us, we come to Proverbs 10:22. Today we are going to just focus on this one as a sort of balm to help us have a breath. This verse speaks very clearly of the love the Father has for us.

First, we want to look at what is given to us. Notice the text says the blessing makes one rich. It is not the money, possessions, power, prestige, position, etc. that makes one rich. This flies against the culture today which speaks of riches as something that can be gained, earned, spent, and saved. The very famous statement, "He who has the most toys at the end of his life, wins". This is not only an empty statement, but also shows the depth of despair and loss someone must feel when they can only look at their possessions as the final source of their wealth.

Here, however, we find what brings wealth. It is the blessing of the Lord. So the second point to bring out is what the source of this richness. It is the blessing. We have this word blessing, in this chapter (Proverbs 10:6) and it is the first time it is presented to us. It is used 8 times in Proverbs, and 69 times throughout the Old Testament. It speaks of the source of blessing, being blessed, a gift, present, and interestingly, a treaty of peace. This word also pictures blessings that are given by God Himself (Psalm 84:7 for example). These blessings of the Lord brings the riches.

But that brings us to the third point. The source of the blessings themselves. They are the Lord. We already looked at Psalm 84:7, and it is through Him we are able to be richly bestowed. The key to this is the fact that the Lord is the One who bestows this blessing, and in His timing. Abraham had to wait until God was ready for the blessing (Genesis 12:2). Israel was to remember that God is the One who gave wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). And finally, it is God who gives true riches, not the empty riches of the world that can and will not last (1 Samuel 2:7). When we think of this concept, we must remember Jesus' teaching of true wealth in the New Testament.

Jesus taught a lot about money. So much so that it was more than what He spoke of concerning Heaven. Yet, in the teaching about money, Jesus taught that true wealth is to be stored, not on earth but in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). If Jesus, who spoke as much as He did about wealth, puts Heavenly riches in Heaven, how should we view our wealth here on this earth?

This is not to say that all wealth is evil. The opposite is true. If, by God's blessing through hard work, one is able to have wealth, and it is done in a way that is righteous and holy, then they are benefiting from the work of their hands. We should not attack that, or charge that, or even distribute from that to others who do not work. That is God's blessing on that individual.

The fourth point is our response to this wealth. Is this something we feel "WE" have earned, or do we recognize it is only by God's grace "HE" gave it to us? How we answer that question will show how we handle the riches we do have.

So we have seen riches compared to riches. Heavenly vs earthly. God's riches vs. man's riches. But we are also given the truth of the state in which those riches are given to us! Unlike riches that are gained through various means that are not right, the riches God gives us, notice what it says in Proverbs 10:22, has no sorrow with it.

Riches can and does bring sorrow and heartache in many cases. If not, then ponder on the reason that many who win the lottery (this is not an endorsement of that), often are bankrupt in a few years, and/or, are dead very quickly? Why? Proverbs 20:21; 28:22 both speak to this.

The Bible presents the reality that Job experienced: Job 27:8-9. Wealth does nothing for those who die. When we read through the Bible, we find even more examples of the misery that comes from wealth gained in the wrong way. We will not go through all of them, but here are a few references: Habakkuk 2:6-9; James 5:1-5. These are the results of the rich who gain it wrongly.

But this is where we are blessed by God. When God gives us the riches, it comes with no sorrow. Unlike the two texts above, those who let the Lord bless, they are going to wait patiently, and they are not going to have the pangs that come from ill gotten wealth. There is no pain, hurt, hardship. The reason, unlike the ill gotten gain that has become an idol, recognizing that God gives the wealth, God is the ruler, not the money.

Sorrow is not just the physical pain, but it also can include mental anguish. Those who have these ill gotten gains often are so paranoid, and wracked with worry about the money they have and they are afraid of losing it, they have no rest to begin with. The psalmist, in Psalm 127:2, points out the fact that it is empty to try to gain it when God is the One Who provides it to those who are His beloved. To become a Beloved of God, one must be in Christ and trust in Him for salvation.

Therefore, dear reader, the application is very simple for us and there are a few:

1. We can rest, knowing God is the One Who knows what we need and will provide it for us (Matthew 6:25-34).

  1. We can know that God will give us EXACTLY what we need. Notice need, not want. While God can and does bless with wants, God is not as interested in us being happy as He is us being holy. We just have to make sure we are not mixing up our needs from our wants (Philippians 4:19).
  2. We also can rest assured that what God gives us, it is His to give and take back. We can trust Him through it all and we do not have to fight! (Job 1:21).

This blog will stop with these three. But take the time today to add to these your own list. Measure it to the context of Scripture, and allow God's Word to inform and instruct us.