Proverbs 13:21-25 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 13:21-25, which read,

v.21 - Adversity pursues sinners, but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.

The question here is what kind of prosperity is Solomon talking about.  The temptation is to pigeon hole it to just financial prosperity.  Many have held over the years that if someone who is religious has a lot than he must have been blessed by God and therefore if someone does not have a lot then they have not been blessed by God.  What defines prosperity?

Proverbs are places were things are compared so in this verse prosperity is compared with adversity.  Adversity in this verse means bad or evil.  Prosperity in this verse means what is good and pleasing.  So the word prosperity is used in very general terms to be the opposite of bad or evil.  Those who live in the state of sin are pursued or followed by bad things while the righteous who are following in the footsteps of Jesus are rewarded or at peace with the given good and pleasant.

v.22 - A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

The good man is not selfish but the sinner is.  The good man sets aside something for his grandchildren to receive but the sinner will lose all that he had to be used by God for His glory elsewhere.  The good man is able to pass along something good to those who he loves but the sinner stores up selfishly and leaves his grandchildren with nothing.

What would be greater to leave to your grandchildren than seeing and hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?  The sinner or the fool with his or her ways of selfishness do not pass this along because of the focus on self and things.  There is a special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren and God uses it to His glory for the benefit of those little ones.  Are you leaving them something that is truly lasting?

v.23 - Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.

The abundant food is there, it is possible to experience, but injustice is being followed instead of God's just ways.  It makes me think of the parable of the soils.  There was one soil that produces a lasting crop while the other three were short lived because something else came to take priority.

Even if one is deemed poor by the world's eyes but following after God, God will bring about the provisions of life that he needs from what seems to be fallow or not worked up ground for awhile.  That same ground is taken away from those who could follow God but don't and lead a life of injustice or not following God's just ways.

v.24 - He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

The one who restrains from using a form of discipline to correct his child is not showing love for that child but actually hate.  All these words are very strong.  I think they are very strong because it makes you look farther out than the situation you are handling at the time and the outcome of following this line of thinking.  There is a better way.

The one who admonishes, instructs and leads to correct with diligence or seeking to follow through each time loves the child.  When you have a parent who is consistent in taking these situations to instill the right and not laughing at the wrong or treating the wrong as okay this time avoids confusing the child that needs loving boundaries from you to start to understand the loving boundaries of God.  You are loving them by establishing right and wrong and helping them adhere to it.

v.25 - The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the stomach of the wicked is in need.

The one who is following after God's words and God's ways will be provided enough by God to fill up his soul but the one who is not following after God's words and God's ways will find themselves with an empty life.  Who is prosperous now?

The prosperity spoken of in this section deals with much more than financial means.  Children and grandchildren are brought into the picture.  The idea that we have something to pass on that is seen and experienced through our character in relationship to God, our work for God, and our obeying of His methods over our own.  We end up with a full stomach after a great meal, a great life.  The wicked end up with an empty stomach wishing they had more.  What is passed onto the next generation of the wicked is more empty living while the righteous pass on the example of those following after the God who provides sufficiently but it is abundantly because it is from Him.

How prosperous is your life in relationship to your walk with the Lord?  What are you passing on?  Do your children and grandchildren know of the Lord through you personally?  Do they hear you speak His name and do they see you work as to the Lord and even do the hard work of discipline in accordance to His words and ways?  Let's pray.

"Lord, help us to pass on what is truly precious.  The world's wealth is so inferior to Your fullness of life that only comes when we follow after You.  Help us to see the opportunities that You give us to be a representative of You in front of them so they see and experience the One who gives true life and prosperity with more to come.  Amen."

Pastor Adam