Being Rich and Being Poor - Proverbs 13:7

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “Righteousness keeps him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthrows the sinner”, and in chapter thirteen and verse seven of Proverbs Solomon shared about being “rich” and being “poor” where we read,

There is that makes himself rich, yet has nothing:

there is that makes himself poor, yet has great riches.

The verse begins, “There is that makes himself rich, yet has nothing:” Solomon began with the words, “there is that makes himself rich” or “there exists a person whether male or female who causes their own self to gain or grow riches and wealth”, “yet has nothing” which means “still holds, owns and possesses not one thing at all”. Solomon shared how there exists an effort that a person may make that will cause them to become wealthy, but in their effort, they have not one thing at all.

The verse goes on to say, “there is that makes himself poor, yet has great riches.” Solomon continues with the words, “there is that makes himself poor” or “there exists a person whether male or female who causes their own self to be in want, hungered and impoverished”, “yet has great riches” which means “however and still that person holds, owns and possesses abundant and numerous substances and wealth of high value”. Solomon said there are other people who cause themselves to be in want and impoverished, but they actually possess abundant substances and wealth.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon that there is a way to live that gains great wealth, but the person actually becomes impoverished in their lives, and there is a way to live poor in material wealth, but makes themselves “valuable” with abundant substance and wealth. God wants us to be “rich” toward Him. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and cause us to invest in eternal “riches” that shall remain forever and not just to have temporal ones that shall only remain in the world. (See Luke 16:11)

Next time Solomon says, “the ransom of a man's life are his riches”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".