Noah Karberg had just finished a day of fishing on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. He made a stop at a grocery store before heading home to pick up a few things. While loading the bags of groceries into his car, he placed his wallet on the tray of the shopping cart, as his fishing shorts had no pockets.
As he was fetching the last of the groceries, he saw a sea gull sitting on the tray. It suddenly grabbed his wallet and flew to a nearby carwash where it landed on the roof. Karberb filmed the thief going through his wallet, tossing cash into the air. It then picked up the wallet and flew away to locations unknown.
A “Wanted” poster has gone up on Nantucket Island with a picture of a sea gull. Karberg isn’t actually looking for the bird, but he has offered a reward for anyone who returns the wallet with his driver’s license and credit cards. He knows the money is likely gone for good.
This story immediately made me think of Proverbs 23:4,5: “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.” Noah Karberg will surely say “Amen!” if he hears that passage quoted.
This proverb seems contradictory to many others spoken by Solomon. In the next chapter we find this wisdom for the lazy man: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man” (Proverbs 24:33,34). Why, then, does Proverbs 23:4 advise us not to “overwork”? The English Standard Version doesn’t help us with this dilemma: “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.”
1 Timothy 6:9 contains much the same counsel: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” Is there something wrong with the “desire to be rich”?
That’s the heart of this issue. Jesus spoke clearly on attitudes toward worldly wealth in Matthew 6:19: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” He might have used another image in this warning: “… and where money grows wings and flies away”. Instead, we are to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven”, because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20,21).
It’s not wrong to work to acquire wealth as long as we keep our priorities straight. Jesus also identifies priorities for us: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness …” (Matthew 6:33). To have God’s blessings is the greatest treasure of all, and no sea gull will fly away with it!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. Hall