Proverbs 13:11: Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.
Insight
This is another proverb that should be considered in the light of eternity. Many wealthy men apparently knew that they had very foolish offspring; so they established trust funds and put legal chains around their estates so their offspring could not get to it. Such an arrangement is made so that their offspring can live off the income, but they cannot touch the estate itself. As a result there are many rich sons in the world today, men who never made a dime in their lives, they wouldn’t know how to work for a living at all; yet they are heirs to tremendous fortunes. But they have been protected so that they cannot touch the principal of their estates. If they could, they would foolishly spend it all. This proverb needs to be looked at in the light of eternity. What are true riches? What is wealth really? Is it those stocks and bonds? That individual is going to lose them someday. Death will take them away from the original owner. 1
Application
Are you a hard worker? Do you provide for yourself and others? Do you spend money wisely? Do you give money generously? Do you teach others how to be responsible?
Motivation
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luke 15:4–5
Saving one life for all eternity is far more valuable than all the wealth you could accumulated in a lifetime. – TWEET IT
Prayer
Father, thank You for showing us how to lay our lives down for others.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: Poetry (Proverbs) (electronic ed., Vol. 20). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
