True Wealth // Wisdom That Works, Part 5

A Different Perspective Official Podcast

Wealth is something that I talk quite a bit about on this program - and it’s because so many people go looking for wealth in the wrong places. People talk about true wealth - whatever that is. Well, what is it? Where do you get it? And is it worth having?

I heard recently of a man who's about to get married and he set aside some money to build a house for himself and his new bride. Well that makes sense. It's good for them to have a home to live in. Thing is though he set aside 15 million dollars.

Now we all have different means and we sometimes aspire to have a bit more and according to our means we do the best to provide a home for our families. Of course many, many of the people listening today aren't even able to do that. Some are in refugee camps, others live in squats and make shift cardboard boxes.

There are more people listening to this message right now today around the globe who are in dire financial circumstances than those who aren't. And so we all set the bar of financial adequacy at different levels.

But this man lives in a city where two to two and a half million dollars would buy you the most stunning house you can imagine. Okay so even if you agree that two to two and a half million dollars is a lot of money, this man is still spending, wait for it, six times that amount.

So the question you have to ask yourself is this. When is enough, enough? At what point do we draw the line and say, "well you know, I just don't need anymore to live more than comfortably? And that my friend is a very important question.

A man that I've come to have a lot of respect for is a guy by the name of David Bussau. For a good many years we've attended the same Church as David and his wife Carol. He's the founder of a ministry called Opportunity International, an organisation that now creates a new job in the developing world I think every 20 seconds or something outrageous like that.

And I heard David one day talking about the economics of enough. That's what he called it. I mean David lives in quite a large house but they constantly have people staying who are visiting for ministry reasons. He drives a pretty ordinary car, he dresses in ordinary every day clothes.

He said he came to the conclusion many years ago that he had more than enough, just didn't need anymore. He talked about the economics of enough.

One of the reasons I talk so often on this subject of wealth, well there are two reasons actually. The first is that so many people are looking for wealth in the wrong place and that's causing them great pain. But secondly and more importantly I talk so much about wealth because God talks so much about it in His Word, the Bible.

Remember we're talking this week and over the next few weeks about Gods wisdom, wisdom that works. By taking a step through some of the most powerful wisdom that we discover in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs which was written by King Solomon to capture the wisdom that he was handing down to his sons.

And so not surprisingly fairly early on in the piece Solomon talks about money. Well not so much money but wealth. Have a listen to what he says, Proverbs chapter 3 beginning at verse 13. He says:

Happy are those who find wisdom and those who get understanding for her income is better than silver and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels and nothing you can desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her, those who hold her fast are called happy.

Now there was a time in my life, in fact for much of my life where I would have scoffed at this suggestion. "Oh give me a break, please. How can wisdom be better than silver and gold and precious jewels? Is this guy mad? How can wisdom be better than anything else that my little heart might desire? I'll just have the cash thanks, show me the money."

And for all that to make sense there are two things that we need to know about Solomon. Not only was he blessed with great wisdom but he was also one of the richest men in all of history. And it all comes to Solomon when he prays to God. Have a listen, it's a beautiful passage. It comes from 1 Kings chapter 3:

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said, 'ask what I should give you?' And Solomon said, 'you have shown great and steadfast love to your servant, my father David because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness and in uprightness of heart towards you.

And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now my Lord O God you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child I don't know how to go out or come in and your servant is in the midst of people whom you have chosen, a great people so numerous they can't be numbered or counted.

Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people. Able to discern between good and evil for who can govern this your great people. Well it pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, 'because you have asked for this and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or for the life of your enemies but you've asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right.

I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind, no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked for, both riches and honour all the days of your life. No other king shall compare with you.

See right from the beginning as a young man Solomon had preferred wisdom over riches. So he asked God for wisdom, what a brilliant thing to do. I wonder what you and I might have asked God for had He come to us and said, "Hey listen, ask me what I should give you?"

So all his adult life Solomon had both great wisdom and great riches. And having lived his life with both, out of his experience he's able to say to his son’s wisdom is so much better than anything else that you can ever imagine. Why? Why did he say that? Because of the dividend, the return that his wisdom gave him:

Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. She's a tree of life to those who lay hold of her, those who hold her fast are called happy.

As much as we try and kid ourselves, you and I, we know. We know through our experience, we know deep in our hearts that riches can never deliver that sort of dividend. We chase after money alone and it's a lonely, unhappy life. Believe you me, I've been there, I've done that, I've got the t shirt and I can tell you that it absolutely is. Wealth does not compare to God’s wisdom.

Wisdom means that we learn God’s truth and we put it into action in our lives. Even though sometimes, most times it involves a sacrifice up front like any investment but we live out God’s truth in our lives, that's what wisdom is, and then we reap the rewards. Peace, life, joy. Those who lay hold of her are called happy.

Why? Because we know how to avoid dumb things we used to do that causes so much pain. Because we know how to make good choices that bear good fruit. True wealth is living a life of abundance in Christ. True wealth is having the wisdom to build strong relationships, to enjoy serving others, to honour God, to get over our pride and our impetuous tantrums.

Wisdom is about living a life that's worth living whatever life throws at us. Friend this is such great advice from King Solomon. It is such great advice from God but it only becomes true wisdom in our lives when we put it into action and the thing to put into action here is to seek after wisdom above and before riches.

Seek first after the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things will be added to you. Because nothing compares to the dividends that come from Gods wisdom. Wisdom that works.