LifeLink Devotions for Friday, May 31, 2024

As we continue our study of Wisdom for Living, we come to a subject within the context of financial integrity that requires serious personal evaluation, and it will probably be painful. Over the next few devotionals, we will learn four principles of financial integrity from the writings of King Solomon. I pray that the Holy Spirit will encourage us as followers of Jesus to be completely honest with ourselves about where we may need to make some changes to become people of integrity.

First, we are told that we are not to pursue wealth that comes from dishonest means.

Proverbs 10:2-5  “Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death. The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.”

Proverbs 13:11   “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.”

Proverbs 21:6  “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”

I don’t believe that this applies to our normal salaries and income from employment, but rather to those other methods we use to make extra money for ourselves. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with making extra money, but how we do it can be wrong. We have all been tempted by those “get-rich-quick” schemes that appeal to the greed of our materialistic nature. They can be so attractive to us that we fail to investigate their legality or even try to determine if they are ethical.

]I remember the pyramid money schemes of the 70’s and early 80’s, when we were told to send twenty dollars to each of five people, and then add our name and the names of twenty more people to a list. We were promised that in 10 days we would receive thousands of dollars in the mail. It worked for the first few people in the pyramid, but then the law caught up with those who originated it and a bunch of people got in deep trouble. Praise God I chose not to be involved. Listen to this wisdom from Prov. 13:11 – “he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.”

There are innumerable marketing schemes out there today to tempt us to elevate riches to a higher priority than integrity. Many of them seem legitimate and may even provide a valuable service or product. But let me ask you to consider two things.

First, how many people have to be paid in the marketing line of this service or product, and how much does it inflate the price? Does it matter to your financial integrity to sell something for more than it’s worth?

Second, how much has the pursuit of riches influenced your decision to make extra money, and is it competing with your trust in Jesus to provide for you?

Serious questions to consider today.  We will give you more food for thought next time.

Pastor John