Wanting more

We all generally would prefer to have more money than we currently have. Isn’t that the age old counterfactual question – “if you had a million bucks, what would you do with it?” Our answers range the gambit:

💰pay of bills.
💰pay off family members’ bills.
💰go on vacation.
💰buy [insert in personal wishes]
💰give to charities/local church
💰home improvements

There’s no denying that to a certain degree having more money does offer us more opportunities and provides us with a feeling of more security. Isn’t this why we all have savings accounts? Isn’t this why financial gurus exist? Isn’t this why side hustles are even a thing?

And look, money is necessary in life. We’ve all got bills to pay and God teaches us to be a good steward of what we have and to prepare/provide for our families. So, money and work are inherently bad or evil. But, oftentimes we want more money simply because we want nicer or newer things – we want an easier life – we want as Ariel puts it “more.”

So, what do we do to acquire more wealth? We work and work and work. Long hours. Overtime. Extra weekends.

Solomon teaches us that a wise man does not toil for wealth. Instead, he is discerning enough to desist. Is Solomon teaching us not to work? No. Is Solomon saying it is wrong to have wealth? No. The focus of the proverbs revolves around three main words – toil, wealth, desist.

Toiling means “long strenuous fatiguing labor.” And, wealth is simply more riches, money, and property. So, if we are toiling away for wealth we are working ourselves to the bone – using every extra second – to acquire more riches and possessions.

Desist simply means to stop.

So, Solomon is teaching us that a wise man is discerning enough to know when to stop toiling or working for wealth. He knows what he needs. He is contented with what he has. He understands more money often leads to more problems. He trusts in the Lord and not himself to provide for him and his family.

We all have to work. And we all need money. These are realities of this life. But, it is our attitude toward those things that we just guard against.

Remember, money isn’t evil – it is the desire for more money and riches that can lead us down a path that is extremely difficult to reverse course. Once you have more, you will always want more.

Be a wise discerning man or woman. Be thankful for what God has given you. Work hard to provide for your family. It’s even okay to treat yourself and your loved ones. But be generous with your wealth. Trust in God – not yourself. And be on guard on your attitude and motives. Remember, you don’t need more – you want more. And those are two very different things.