(Job 33.8-28; Matthew 27.38-56)
O Lord, you are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Psalm 142.5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1.3
Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,
But whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Quit scratching that ticket! Stop waiting for the windfall! Don’t depend on big breaks! Strap yourself in for the long haul!
That’s what this proverb is saying, though probably minus the exclamation marks. Because life doesn’t have to be exciting to be good. In fact, much of success depends on your ability to live without constant injections of excitement or surges of advancement. Instead, you know how to go day-by-day, from strength to strength, gathering little by little.
The Scriptures occasionally remind us that wealth is dangerous, but never it is given an absolute proscription. If you just wanted to say it simply: wealth is good. But wealth must be obtained, and maintained, in virtue. Patience, diligence, generosity, frugality - all are necessary qualities in the biblical acquisition of wealth.
But our proverb today, of course, is not approaching acquisition from the question of virtue, but from the question of permanence. How does wealth accumulate?
The answer always is: OVER TIME. Six days labor…one day rest…six days labor…one day rest…six days labor…one day rest…six days labor…one day rest…
You need to get this down! Please read it again. Christians must care about the creation. Christians should voice this care, and let their expression of hope include the hope for the created order. Christians should express that they think beauty and restoration and life is important. And they should also express that the creation waits for the Redeemer!
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