Proverbs 18:11. A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.
This proverb goes hand in hand with yesterday’s proverb. Yesterday we saw the wise man running into the tower of God’s name. His character. His promises. His love and faithfulness.
In contrast, today we see the fool running into his tower of wealth. The problem is that it is high wall only in his imagination.
Do you remember the story of the Titanic? The Titanic was a super luxury liner built to sale from Britain to America. It was paid for by rich people for rich people so that they could travel in posh style. When the Titanic was built they said that it was unsinkable. In their imagination nothing could go wrong. They never imagined what would actually happen. But you likely know what happened next. On its very first voyage it struck an iceberg and sank. The unimaginable happened. Their floating city of wealth became a sunken monument to man’s hubris.
In Hosea 12, as Hosea the prophet is yelling at Israel for their idolatry and rebellion against God, this is their response:
Hosea 12:8. Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”
One of the greatest delusions we can believe in this life is that because we are wealthy and rich we are therefore without iniquity or sin. God doesn’t bless sinners with great wealth does he? If a person is rich isn’t it because God considers them to be righteous?
No.
Not only is wealth a false hope, and imagined security that can fade away like the grass, but wealth is also never the simple sign of God’s blessing. Nor is poverty the sign of God’s disapproval. Life is far more complicated than that. In fact, as James says, let the poor rejoice in their exaltation by God, and the rich in their humiliation by God.
What about you? In what ways have you made your wealth your strong city? Historically, cities have been places of safety and status. Why did people run to the city? For protection from an invading force. Or in more recent history, an invading economic recession or financial crisis. Why do people move to cities? For the social elevation that can elevate a person’s status.
But what if it is our union with Christ that is our security and our status, and not our wealth? Not our social status? Not our financial security. What if Jesus was our strong city that we run into whenever threats to our security and status arise? We might find that our own security and status just aren’t that critical to us anymore, and that our imagined protection and position are now realities in Christ.
You: In what ways have you made wealth your strong city (and don’t say you haven’t)?
You in Christ: How is your union with Christ your true source of security and status?
Christ in you: What idols of wealth is Jesus asking you to forsake today?
Pray: Jesus, you are my security and my status. Help me to always run to you for both. Amen.
To Live is Christ 