Calibrated Wealth Preferences

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Introduction

We saw in our last installment on wealth that such resources can be a blessing from God, and that affluence is something that represents the goodness of God to us. But like all things that God gives, we can love and pursue it wrongly. When we do this it is because we have gotten our priorities out of whack. Wealth has become more important than it ought to be, coming to outrank things that by all rights should outrank it.

Wealth is by no means the highest blessing which God can bestow on us. As Christians set our priorities for business, and for the task of making money, a number of things should be placed ahead of profit in our hearts and minds.

The basic teaching in this line that we gather from Proverbs is that it is far better to be poor and wise than it is to be rich and stupid. But as we consider this, we have to remember that there are two other options that are logically available. It is also possible to be poor and stupid or rich and wise. And of course, out of the four options, the best one—as we have already seen—is to be wealthy and wise. But then the wisdom of Solomon tests us. It is only possible to be wealthy and wise if such a person would rather be poor and wise than rich and stupid.

Priorities . . . By What Standard?

We all know what is meant when that cliché about priorities is rolled out—setting priorities means “more quality time with the kids,“ for example. But too often we just invoke the phrase as though it were a mantra, and the content of what our priorities ought to be is just assumed . . . which means they were picked up from the surrounding culture. And the thing about assumptions picked up this way is that they are coy. They don’t like to make themselves visible. But . . . by what standard must we set our priorities when it comes to questions of wealth? The Bible tells us. What is better than wealth? What should we rather have than great riches? Again, the Bible tells us, over and over again. 

Prefer Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding

In our first lesson, we addressed the importance of getting wisdom before wealth. The point is made again and again in Proverbs so it will not hurt to make it again. We should seek out wisdom before wealth because we prefer wisdom over wealth.

If we are talking about what we should prefer to have before wealth, and we are, if we had to choose, then we must begin with wisdom.

Wisdom is to be preferred over silver. It is to be preferred over gold, that being fine gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies. And whatever else you can think of to throw on that pile, wisdom is to be preferred to it.

So wisdom is better to have than gold. And understanding is better to have than silver.

Solomon dumps some treasures out on the table for us. There is gold there, and a stack of rubies. But, he adds, the lips that speak knowledge are a precious jewel way beyond all such tangible treasures.

Just as there are gradations of precious metals—gold and silver—and there are gradations of jewels—rubies, opals, diamonds, and more, so also we have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to look over. In the proverbs above, we see that each one of these three is to be preferred to a chest full of gold.

So these comparisons are made for a reason. God wants us to weigh in our minds the relative value of gold, silver, and gems over against the value of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Self-consciously, deliberately, carefully we should make that comparison. The Bible teaches us to reason this way. We should learn how to prefer this to that.

How would we behave of our teacher at school, or the preacher at church, scattered gold coins across the floor? Would we be paying closer attention to the lesson than we do now?

So the words of Scripture are the words of wisdom, and we should act like each verse we read in the morning is a Troy ounce. 

Prefer Righteousness

Before getting into the next set of preferences, we need to consider a layered distinction. Some of these preferences are of such a nature that we need to calibrate them in the context of a thought experiment. If we were walking down a path and came to a Y in the path, and the sign to the right said wisdom, and the one to the left said riches, we know in the thought experiment which way we should go.

But with this next one, it is not all that hypothetical. We are talking about righteousness and riches now. And, as it turns out, a lot of people make their money by making actual choices that demonstrate they prefer wealth over honesty.

We are told in that proverb that a little with righteousness is a lot, and great revenues without righteousness is a net loss.

Again, notice how Proverbs teaches us to reason. We should prefer this over that. What would you rather have? A lake cabin and a bad conscience? Or a good conscience and fifty cents?

In this one, the riches are not expressly mentioned, but they are there by implication. Would you rather be a perverse fool, one with so much money that nobody dared tell you about how much of a fool you were? Or would rather walk a straight path in shoes that have holes in them?

Prefer a Good Name

Scripture tells us to care about reputation. Now there is a bad way to do this too, of course. The hypocrite values reputation. It is worthless to have a good reputation when that good reputation is a lie, and undeserved. But when you are actually honest, it is a true blessing to be known as honest.

A good name is especially important in the world of business. And what constitutes a good name in business? Again, Scripture must be our standard. “Best practices” is all well and good, but there are times when industry standards are sub-standard. If cost overruns happen all the time, then perhaps you are adopting your standards from your pagan competitors and not from God’s foundry of wisdom. And if so, it is clearly time to review.

I had a friend, now with the Lord, who was a contractor. One time he was setting up for a remodel, and the owner of the house came out and said, “I don’t think you’re a Christian . . .” Surprised, my friend said something like, “What do you mean . . .” The answer ran along the lines of “Well, you show up on time, you do good work, you bill according to the estimate . . .”

By way of contrast, Christians must seek to establish a good name through . . .

1. Work managed with wisdom;
2. We conducted with absolute honesty in fact;
3. Work done with absolute honesty in appearance;
4. Hard work;
5. Work completed on time and on budget;
6. Not taking advantage of work done for a brother;
7. Work which does not depend upon a scheme; and . . .

Workers who know what they are doing as unto the Lord understand all of this.

The loss of a good name is hard to repair. The fact that you might lose your reputation through slipshod practices is not unfair, but rather one of the ordinary costs of doing business.

People recommend businesses, or not, all the time. This is as it should be. If you don’t pay your bills, it is not gossip when one vendor mentions this salient fact to another potential vendor, heading him off, thus sparing him the grief of dealing with you. Because that’s no good, a good name is to be preferred above rubies.

Prefer Contentment

Fundamentally, this is a prayer for contentment. “Lord, please give me a portion that is suited for me.” If you get more than that, you will be tempted in one way. If you get less than that, you will be tempted in another. It may sound odd, but many Christians have not learned contentment with their blessings in the middle. They have not leaned middle class contentment.  

I like to think that if God gave me a boatload of money, I could do an enormous amount of good for the kingdom. This is has been a point of disagreement between me and the Lord for some years now.

So be content with what you have (Heb. 13:5).

Prefer Humility

Pride is often thought to be the badge of the wealthy—but it is rather their shame. The pride of the wealthy is a noisome mess. Too many people assume that the rich, given their wealth, have the right to swank around ostentatiously. But Scripture teaches us that it is better to forego all that wealth if it means that, instead of that, you receive the privilege of being humble with the lowly.

Prefer Peace and Quiet

As I am fond of saying, you can’t keep money from doing what money always does. And even if you keep your head with regard to money, the chances are good that you still have family and friends around. And if you have money, then that means your family does too, and so then you have to deal with what it does to other people.

And what is does to others—frequently—is sharpen all the edges, and ratchet up the decibels.

Scripture tells us to not want that.

Better to hang out with poor God-fearers than with obnoxious and well-heeled haters.

A family that gets along is a treasure beyond all mortal reckoning. A family that laughs and fellowships over a store-bought pizza is far to be preferred to a family where the comments and stares are as cold as the jewelry the women have on.

Structured Priorities

As you structure your affairs in the pursuit of your business, have you remembered all of this?

Before summarizing all these truths, let me mention just one more dodge, one more evasion. There are many Christians who choose the wrong thing in each one of these categories, and they know that they have done so. The way they allay their conscience, trying to get it to shut up for a minute, is by saying that this state of affairs is “only temporary.” The thing that makes this lie so dangerous is that it is sometimes true. But make sure you don’t kid yourself.

Would you rather be wise and poor or stupid and rich? Would you rather have a bad conscience and great wealth or a great conscience and no wealth? Would you rather have a good reputation around town and a thin wallet, or a thick wallet and a reputation for sharp dealing? Would you prefer contentment over a little or wrangling over a lot? Would you rather be overlooked in your humility or would you rather dazzle the world with your house, portfolio, clothes, or car? Would you rather have a peaceful bowl of canned soup with your pleasant wife, in a kitchen where the linoleum was peeling, or a hot argument with a trophy wife in a Michelin-starred restaurant?

Work through the whole list. Think it all over. And ask yourself why most choose foolishly.