Riches And Poverty

by F. McCormick | Category: General | Dec 1950

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty " (Proverbs 10.15). "Money answereth all things," said the wise man, and "Wealth addeth many friends." Mter all it is better to be a poor man and possess the poor man's rich Friend,-the Lord Jesus Christ-than to possess riches and a multitude of earthly friends, who, when resources fail, and the well dries up, forsake and leave you. The poor man's Friend will never do that.

"What a Friend is our Lord Jesus, Oh, how lie loves!

His is love beyond a brother's, Oh, how He loves

Earthly friende may fail or leave us, One day soothe, the ne~t day grieve us; But this Friend will ne'er deceive us,

Oh, how He loves!"

Someone has said that "Money is a universal provider for everything but happiness, and a passport everywhere but to heaven." It is true that "they that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of the soul is costly, and must be let alone for ever) (Psalms 49.6-8).

What then is the use of money? It has a value only in this world, and to accumulate wealth men spend their days in ceaseless activity of body and brain, often bringing themselves to an untimely end. "He heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them" (Psalm 39. 6). " This also is vanity," said the Preacher, " seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shali be a wise man or a fool?" They "leave their wealth to others." "When he dieth he shall carry nothing away. For we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out." The obvious lesson therefore is, to use wisely that which is committed to our trust.

There is no evil in the possession of~yiche's if regarded as a stewardship from God, but, "If riches increase, set not your heart thereon" (Psalms 62. 10). Nevertheless, the dangers and responsibilities of possessing riches are great indeed. "The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own imagination" (Proverbs 18.11). How secure and immune from danger the rich man often imagines himself to be! The rich man in Luke 12. reasoned within himself, saying, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee." What mis-spent energy! What misplaced plans! "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength (stronghold, R.V.M.); But trusted in the abundance of his riches" (Psalm 52.7).

The lesson is forcefully applied by the Lord Himself-" Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." It is therefore folly to trust in riches, "For riches certainly make themselves wings." The wise man said that "wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it " (Ecclesiastes 7.12); and much wisdom is needed in the right use of God's gifts in the preservation of spiritual life. The warning is clear that "they that desire to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For ~he love of money is a root of all kinds of evil; which some reaching after have been led astray from the Faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows " (1 Timothy 6.9, 10). Many have been the wasted lives through grasping the temporal, and letting go the

things which are eternal; through following a ear eer, or taking a post or a situation which involved spiritual isolation; like Esau, grasping the present for the gratification of the flesh, but alas, bringing bitter tears when too late, in the loss of the birthright and the blessing. What then is the value of an accumulation of riches here, if the result be a lost life down here and eternal loas at the judgement-seat of Christ? "Let not the rich man glory in his riches,: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth, and knoweth Me,, that I am the LORD " (Jeremiah 9.23, 24)..

There are, however, dangers to be avoided, and responsibilities to be fulfilled by both. rich and poor, as enjoined in the Word. Soma live in comparative poverty, but poverty is nothing to be ashamed of if it be honest. The Lord Himself became the poorest of men, yet none was more honourable than He, who in His poverty glorified God upon the earth, and enriched countless thousands of, the race of men. But what shall be said of the sluggard, whose poverty comes as a robber, and his want as an armed man? Little sympathy is due to those who cry, "Give, give," yet will not work. Sleep and slumber they indulge in when the cry of harvest is to work. "As the door turneth upon its hinges, so d6th the sluggard upon his be~" He sees all kinds of imaginary difficulties why he should not turn out. "There is a lion in the streets," he says; yet, in his own estimation, he is really a very clever fellow, a real "know all," for "the sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason." (Proverbs 26.13-16). What shall be done with such an one? If he be found in an. assembly of God the word is clear, for "This we commanded you," says the apostle, "if any will not work, neither let him eat " (2 Thessalonians 3.10). Such an one is not to be supported, but disciplined. Then there are the poor through no fault of their own, such as have been born poor, and opportunity has not come their way to imprQve their lot.

2 Again, some have been made poor by force of adverse circumstances, sickness and other calamities, and it has often been true in actual experience, that " the destruction of the poor is their poverty." The Lord's words are verily true: "The poor ye have always with you." While the rich are to beware of " the deceitfulness of rich~," the poor are to see that "'the cares of this life" do not choke the word so that it becomes unfruitful, or brings no fruit to perfection. How possible then when. overburdened with care, when the soul is cast down, the spirit broken, and the real temptation presents itsel~ to give up! "Why art thou east down, Q my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me?" "'My soul, wait thou only upon God; For my expectation is from Him. He only is my Rock and my. Salvation,

I shaJl not be moved " (Psallns 42. 5, ii; 62.' 5, 6). Can we not truly say at times"When all' around. the soul' giuts way, Hc~~ i'~aU myHop"~ ~t�y, "P

"I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me." He knows what poverty means in its truest sense, and is able to supply the grace and succour for every need. "Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to this world to~ be rich in'faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to them that love Him?" (James 2.5). Yea, verily, and the teaching of James. is that the poor are not to be despised; preference is not to be given to those who are rich in this world's goods. He says

"Hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons." "Howbeit, if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well" (James 2.1-8). The fact that the poor do exist lays. greater responsibility upon the rich, "That they do good' that they be rich in good works,, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate "(1 Timothy 6.18). "To do good and to com,mumcate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is 'well pleased" (Hebrews 13-16). Even the poor, when actuated by the love of Christ, gave "beyond their power . . . of their own accord," and "their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality" (2 Corinthians 8.2, 8) in their sympathy for the needs of others. "Communicating to the necessities of the saints " (Romans 12.13).

A right spiritual condition will draw more from the pockets of God's saints than all human expedients or contrivances. "First. they give their own selves to the Lord," is an indication of their hearts being right with Him. Agu,r, the son of Jakeh, desired the. happy m,edium in life ; he says, " Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with food that is needful for me: Lest I be full and deny Thee, and say, who is the LORD? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God" (Proverbs 30.8, 9). It is a happy thing to be "free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for Himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee" (Hebrews 13.6). "Let the brother of, low degree glory in his high estate (see Psalm 113. 7, 8): and the rich, in that he is made low" (James 1.9, 10). The rich who are poor in spirit, and the poor who are rich, in faith, both find a place in the purposes of God. To 59me it is possible to make friends for eternity by the right use Qf the mammon of unrighteousness, and by them to be received into the eternal tabernacles (Luke 16.9). To others1 it may be, of their want they east their little into the treasury. All will be righteously adjudged in a day to come, "He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is,unrighteous also in.much "(Luke 16,, 10). "It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful," (1 Co~in;'hians, 4.2).

<Author:F. McCormick>

F. McCormick | Dec 1950
General