Proverbs 23:4-8 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 23:4-8, which read,

v.4, 5 - Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it.  When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.  For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Our present world mirrors the time of the writing of this proverb.  We are in hot pursuit of wealth.  It is advertised.  It is infomerical-ized.  It is self-help video-ized.  It is even prosperity gospel-ized in some churches.  But the proverb says to not focus on this or as it says, "set your eyes on".  You are to not give consideration of it.  You are not to get tired or weary trying to gain it.  Wealth is relative and so when you get wealthy, a new level of wealthy will be a little out of your reach and it will make itself wings to keep you spending your time trying to get it.

Solomon is showing us that this pursuit, like others, is in vain.  The pursuit of the book of Proverbs is the wisdom of God.  If someone is wealthy by the world's standards while following after God then that is God's discerning will that he or she will know what to do with it.  I guess it is really an important self question to ask what makes us feel wealthy.  Better yet would be to search out in Scripture how God describes His followers as wealthy.  I don't remember any of them talking about having a lot of money.

v.6-8 - Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, or desire his delicacies; for as he thinks within himself, so he is.  He says to you, "Eat and drink!"  But his heart is not with you.  You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, and waste your compliments.

The selfish man has bread to spare and also fancy food.  He is showing it to you and sharing it with you for a selfish reason.  He wants you to think well of him and what he has rather than what he could be unselfishly giving away to those in need.  There is always a hidden agenda.  There are always strings attached.  You are not a true friend of his because he probably doesn't have any true friends for he doesn't give his heart to anyone but himself.  

You take the bread and the delicacy but it doesn't taste as good as you thought.  Actually, when you see the real motive behind it you would rather vomit it up than have it go through your system.  You have played into their scheme to get more and maybe even given them compliments on their selfishness.  Dangerously you might start to adopt their practices because it is very inviting to have what they have and by the measures that they acquired it.  

Long for bread from God.  Remember what Jesus said to His disciples when they asked if He was hungry after they went to town and He spent His time talking to the woman at the well.   John 4:31-34 says,

In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, "Rabbi, eat something."  But He said, "I have food to eat that you don't know about."  The disciples said to one another, "Could someone have brought Him something to eat?"  "My food is to do the will of Him, who sent Me and to finish His work, Jesus told them.

May we crave that food from Jesus as we live our lives in glory of Him.  May we seek the wealth that Scriptures tell us is real wealth in God's eyes.  Let us pray.

"Lord, the world is tempting us with false values.  Help us to be reminded today of what is valuable to You.  Help us to be about Your work and be feed by You spiritually and ask as You instruct in Your prayer for the provision of our daily bread.  May we see the hidden agendas and attached strings of the selfish and stay with the selfless One, You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam