Double Edged Sword

Proverbs 10:2-4 Wealth gained by doing wrong will not really help you, but doing right will save you from death. The LORD takes care of good people and gives them the food they need, but he keeps the wicked from getting what they want. Lazy hands will make you poor; hard-working hands will make you rich.

It’s one of those strange paradoxes of life, almost to the point of being a fundamental law of the universe, that every good thing can be turned into a bad thing. Every blessing can quickly become a curse.

Think about it. Is money inherently bad? Well, that depends. In most of the ways we use it, it’s a good thing. And when we give it away to the needy, it’s a very good thing. Yet when we covet, steal, horde … it becomes a terrible thing.

Is hard work good or bad? Well, that depends. Diligence and dedication yield powerful results … unless you work at the wrong thing or sacrifice your family on the altar of success.

And when does a good rest … turn into laziness? Yep, every good thing seems to cut both ways. Like a double-edged sword, it all depends on how you use it.

Proverbs 10:2-4 Wealth gained by doing wrong will not really help you, but doing right will save you from death. The LORD takes care of good people and gives them the food they need, but he keeps the wicked from getting what they want. Lazy hands will make you poor; hard-working hands will make you rich.

Behind everything is God Himself. He sees whether your wealth was gained honestly or dishonestly. He sees whether you’re hard working or lazy. He knows the intentions of your heart. As someone once said, “Blessed is the person who’s learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, to lead but not manipulate.”

Whatever you do, do it with a good heart, because …the Lord takes care of good people; doing right will save you from death.

That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.