Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 10:7-11
Ps 10:7-11
7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. 8 He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. 9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. 10 His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. 11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees."
James 2:1-4
1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Some things seem to never change. There have always been those who have become rich by taking unfair advantage of the weak and poor. They come in every profession and in every age. It may be the dictator of a poor country, a farmer, a lawyer or any other occupation but the motive is greed, caused by selfishness.
Being rich is not wrong in itself. Some of the most faithful men and women we read about in scripture were wealthy people. What is wrong is greed and taking unfair advantage of those who cannot defend or take care of themselves. We are told to enjoy what God has given us but also to use it to help others who are in need. When Jesus said it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, he was not saying it is wrong to be rich. He was saying it is easy for us to put our trust in our material wealth and to become greedy. Paul says that greed is idolatry.
There have always been those who seem to think that because a person is rich, they are in favor with God. The modern “wealth and health gospel” that is often preached on television preys on this thinking. While all we have comes from God, being rich does not mean we are right with him or that our wealth is a measure of our righteousness. That is determined by our faith in God and our love for others.
Heavenly Father, thank you for all you give me to enjoy. Help me remember that my righteousness is based only on your forgiveness through the blood of Jesus and his sacrifice for my sin. Help me keep a proper perspective of material things and never love them above you and doing what is right. Give me a pure heart that is determined to do your will in all things. Fill me with your love and compassion for others and a willingness to use all I have to your glory. Bless those who are sick or hurting and those taking treatments. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
