Introduction
Good morning, everyone. Let us continue our study of the Book of Proverbs. If I were to collect and organize all the materials from my study of Proverbs and put them together, I would name this book The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom. Everyone wants to live a good life, but in the end, many live a life that is no better than a dog's. Why is this? Because a person's view of things determines the path they take. Some people muddle through until they are fifty or sixty years old, and then they ask God how they got there. But wasn't it you who walked there?
What kind of life you live is determined by your own choices, and your choices create today's results. The theme of this chapter is: Attitudes toward money are the watershed between wisdom and foolishness, the wicked and the righteous. Why did I choose this theme? I will explain it to you clearly below. A characteristic of my Bible study is that you can put what you hear into practice when you go back. The Bible is scripture, and what I am teaching is discourse.
There is an ancient Chinese book called The Analects, which is called discourse. My Bible study is also called discourse, which is to allow everyone to put the content of the scriptures into practice and live it out. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine and Proverbs are both called scriptures. You will find that I tell many stories every time I study the Bible, especially my experiences in ministry in real life. These are all examples of putting things into practice. What is a person's attitude towards money? This determines the watershed between wisdom and foolishness, the wicked and the righteous, and it also determines the outcome of a person's life. This is no joke. If you read the entire content of Proverbs chapter 13, you will find that many paragraphs are related to money, running through the entire text and relating to the wicked and the righteous. Now I will start from the first verse. It is not easy to make people intelligent!
A Person's Attitude Toward Money Determines the Outcome of Their Life
A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke (Proverbs 13:1).
This sentence says that children should listen to their father's instruction. Because usually fathers teach their children to be healthy and normal people. No father would give his child bad things or deliberately lead him down the wrong path, unless that father is a very muddled person. Anyone with knowledge will lead their children on the right path. When I was in elementary school, I liked to go to school with my neighbor's classmate. One time, I saw my classmate kneeling on a washboard, holding a rolling pin in his hand. It looked painful.
Later, I asked and found out that he had stolen money from his father. Some of us here also have children who steal money, which is very upsetting to parents. Why? Because they know that this behavior will bring extremely profound corruption to the child's future. But later, this classmate of mine did not turn bad, because he listened to his father's instruction.
A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke (Proverbs 13:1).
A person's attitude towards money determines whether or not they can listen to instruction. If my classmate thought at the time: Am I not stealing money back for the good of this family? I stole the money from outside, why should I be beaten? This attitude is not right! People have the capital to scoff, and the capital to scoff is money. People become arrogant when they have money, and when they become arrogant, they begin to scoff and cannot accept instruction. There is a sister among us who has been following me to believe in the Lord for more than ten years. She is a very money-loving person, and she exudes worship of money inside and out. She is always thinking about making money. The more people look down on her, the more she thinks about making a lot of money, thinking that if she has money in the future, others will not look down on her. Can she be respected if she earns money?
When she had money, I asked her to follow me to believe in the Lord well, but she wouldn't. When she lost her money and owed a lot of debt, she came to follow me to believe in the Lord well. I think if she continued to have money, she would still be a scoffer and could not listen. Why do people worship idols? Have you ever heard of anyone who worships idols asking for the neighbor to get rich? Definitely not! They all hope that their own affairs can be accomplished and that they can have money.
This sister grew up with me. She often went to see an idol worshiper. That person was very accurate in fortune-telling. I saw it with my own eyes. I asked her to follow me to believe in the Lord well. This is a very blessed thing, but she didn't want to, because she felt that the fortune-teller was very accurate and helped her calculate that the business she was doing would make a lot of money. For example, if she opened a store, the fortune-teller said that she could only open it for two years, and then she would not be able to earn money. As a result, from the day she opened the store to the two-year mark, customers disappeared. It was too accurate.
The food she cooked did not change, and the location was still the same, but customers just did not come. But the key is, is her attitude towards money wise or foolish? Everyone needs to ponder this slowly. People with a lot of money are generally scoffers and cannot listen to anything. If they can really listen, then they are truly intelligent people. Some people say that there are other reasons for scoffing, but they are all inseparable from money. There is a saying: People die for wealth, and birds die for food. The wars in this world are also inseparable from money. Because there is oil underground, and oil can be sold for money, people fight and compete, causing a lot of conflict. If people were thinking, I want to give you money, and everyone was being polite, there would definitely be no fighting.
From the fruit of their mouth everyone enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence (Proverbs 13:2).
If a person speaks humble and gentle words, won't they enjoy good things? The reason why the unfaithful are unfaithful is to gain money and benefits. Back and forth, infighting is all for money. Looking around, the previous two world wars were fought for money, and if a third one is to be fought, it will definitely be for money. The attitude towards money has led many people to rush forward for money, even at the cost of their lives.
Why is it said that no merchant is not cunning, and no official is not greedy? Although not all merchants are cunning, there is a reason why everyone says this. When a couple agrees to divorce, the most important thing is to discuss how to divide the money. People's minds are filled with money. I have never heard of a divorce agreement saying that everything should be given to the other party and that they don't want anything. If there is such a thing, then there is no need to divorce.
Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied (Proverbs 13:3-4).
You will find that things are connected like this. A lazy person is poor, envies money but cannot get it. He is scrolling through Douyin when others are planting and harvesting. Can he eat Douyin when others are eating and drinking? Since he cannot get it, he envies, is jealous, and hates. As a result, he hates the rich. People who don't take money seriously, why would they care about poverty or wealth? Someone wrote in a book: Woe to you who are rich! But Abraham and Jacob were rich, did they have woe? The Bible does not record it that way. You cannot talk nonsense. It is because of poverty that the people in the world are divided into the poor and the rich. Whether poor or rich, there are spiritual and worldly people, and there are also righteous and wicked people. The problem is the attitude towards money!
The righteous detest what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace (Proverbs 13:5).
For example, if there is a person who just wants to give money away, would you say that he is a wicked person? He always wants to bless others and always wants to give away. Then he should be Abraham! So this is what the righteous and the wicked are like. Why do people have a bad name? Because they are greedy for money and want to take advantage of everyone. Will they have a good reputation? If you want to get a good reputation, remember not to love money so much. People who love money are very evil!
Integrity guides the blameless, but wickedness undermines the sinner (Proverbs 13:6).
Integrity guides because they are not tempted by money, and those who sin are for money. People die for wealth, and birds die for food. This is for sure.
One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth (Proverbs 13:7).
Some people just want to pretend to be rich, wearing a copper chain as a gold chain, but they have nothing. This is a problem of mentality. Once, a sister carried a brand-name bag and put it on my table when she came. I didn't pay attention to it. Later, someone told me that this bag was worth several thousand US dollars. She felt that the brand-name bag was very important to her because it could give her face! I think this is just a broken bag, how much can it be worth?
As a result, she got angry with me and said: I spent two thousand dollars to buy this bag! I said: Who spends two thousand dollars to buy a bag? There are plenty of bags in the store that cost more than a hundred dollars. Aren't they good? As a result, she was very angry! In fact, she just wanted to pretend to be rich and have money in front of me. If you look closely, people who are really rich don't want people to know that they have money, but the nouveau riche especially want people to know that they have money. When a country becomes rich and people become rich, they especially don't like being called nouveau riche.
Because when people say you are a nouveau riche, they are saying that you are so unsophisticated. They want to pretend to be cultured, but they can't, because their connotation is revealed as soon as they speak. They have no knowledge and are uncouth. When Japan's economy was so strong that it was almost catching up with the United States, they especially didn't like others saying that they had money. The Japanese mentality changed at that time and they especially liked others saying that they had knowledge. You see some businessmen like to pretend to be cultured people, because it is so embarrassing to have money but no culture!
A rich person's wealth is a ransom for their life, but a poor person hears no threat (Proverbs 13:8).
Truly rich people, they don't pretend. Because if you pretend to be rich, wouldn't you be kidnapped and have to pay money to redeem yourself? What would they kidnap you for if you had no money? If you have no money, you only have one life, and you are so poor that you are penniless. After they kidnap you, they have to give you food. As a result, they find that they kidnapped the wrong person. Wouldn't that be a joke? But if the family has money, then they have to pay money to redeem them. Actually, it is all the fault of money, because money cannot replace life.
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it (Proverbs 10:22).
I like to have God's blessing and God's protection. That is so good! God made those who were hiding in ambush to kidnap me not see me walk past. God is my protector! Actually, there is nothing to kidnap me for, because you can't get anything. If they really kidnap me and want to tear up the ticket, I would thank them and say: Tear it up! I have been wanting this day for a long time!
A rich person's wealth is a ransom for their life, but a poor person hears no threat (Proverbs 13:8).
If a person has wealth but no God, money will become the ransom for their life! So brothers and sisters should know that our attitude towards money should be: if we have it, we have it; if we don't have it, then forget it. The most important thing is to shape ourselves into people who can create value. People like me are the same whether they have money or not. They won't go hungry, because they are full of treasure, because the most important thing is the head between the two shoulders. You have to envy this, because the things in my head are really different from the things in your head. So everyone must become a knowledgeable, wise, and intelligent person, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out (Proverbs 13:9).
Whether a person's life can shine brightly is closely related to that person's attitude towards money. The whole body of a person who loves money does not shine with light, but with the stench of money. Such a person cannot become a bright person. The most deadly thing is that they spend their whole lives working hard for money, but in the end, the money they earn is illegal, but there is no way to start life over again.
Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice (Proverbs 13:10).
People are proud of what they own.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).
It is distressing when people do not get what they hope for. What I least hope for is to become a wealthy man. If a person has knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, money is the least important thing. That is why I repeatedly remind brothers and sisters to become intelligent people!
Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (Proverbs 13:11)
If you work hard and are talented, you are an asset to the company. Such people will not lack money. Some may say, The teacher told me to work hard, so I work diligently. But has your attitude towards money changed? It is not about obsessing over money. The key is to receive God's blessing. Without blessing, it is impossible to do good work and it will be very tiring. Do not rely on ill-gotten gains. Examine the end of those who get rich through lotteries; few have good outcomes.
Whoever scorns instruction will pay the penalty, but whoever respects a command will be rewarded. (Proverbs 13:13)
The teaching of the wise gives you a correct attitude and view of the world. Instructions are necessary because one is not on the right path, so do not scorn them. If you respect the commandments, no one will correct you, and you will be rewarded.
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning people away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 13:14)
The snares of death often look like opportunities. A sister told me about a great investment opportunity. I warned her to be careful, but she felt she could not miss it. After a while, she stopped mentioning it. Later, I learned that she had been scammed out of three million because snares and opportunities look alike. Snares are often well disguised and appear to be good opportunities. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must be wise and follow the teachings of the wise. Do not be greedy or take the bait. Whether it is a snare or an opportunity, do not take it seriously.
Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin. (Proverbs 13:15)
What is a treacherous person? It is someone who single-mindedly pursues money. Most people have this attitude towards money.
The prudent act with knowledge, but fools display their folly. (Proverbs 13:16)
Look at current class reunions. Everyone seems wealthy, but who knows if they are rich or heavily in debt? No one wants others to look down on them. Once at a class reunion, an old classmate came up to me and said, I'm telling you, you can't preach. I said, I don't preach. I teach people to become intelligent. Why would I preach when I'm free? Actually, I have blessed many people.
A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing. (Proverbs 13:17)
What is wickedness? What is trustworthiness? Those who are not tempted by money are trustworthy; those who are tempted by money are wicked. For example, if you are a Russian soldier representing Russia fighting in Ukraine, or a Ukrainian soldier resisting foreign invasion, and the other side offers you $100,000 to defect, would you go? If you really go, will they really give you the money? So, whether a person is wicked or trustworthy depends on whether they are tempted by money. If I do not care about the money, I will not defect. Be a trustworthy person.
Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. (Proverbs 13:18)
If you reject discipline, you will not only be poor but also be shamed. A person of honor will not lack money.
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. (Proverbs 13:19)
If the desire in your heart is for money, and it is fulfilled, you will feel sweet. If not, this desire will tempt you to become an evil person, and you will not even realize it is evil, thinking it is good.
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
I am still talking about one thing: people's attitude towards money. If you want to bless people and do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah God, you will gain the beginning of wisdom, which is the fear of God. Some people like to make bad friends, get scammed, and suffer losses every day. Why do people become fools? Because they love money! If they have the chance to cheat you, they will definitely cheat you. How dangerous is it to be with them? If you are with a wise, God-fearing person, it is uncomfortable for them not to bless you.
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things. (Proverbs 13:21)
In the end, it is our God who determines a person's future. God lets trouble pursue sinners, but those who trust in God will receive His reward.
A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
What is an inheritance? An inheritance is an asset. In the balance sheet, there are assets and liabilities. Liabilities are the money you need to repay, and assets are what help you earn money every day. So, a good person leaves assets, an inheritance for their descendants, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous. You will find that the money in the hands of sinners is prepared for those loved by God. Do not think that poor people have a good attitude towards money. Poor people's attitude towards money is not so good.
An unplowed field produces abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away. Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. (Proverbs 13:23-24)
Discipline what? The most important thing is to discipline people's attitude towards money.
The righteous eat to their heart’s content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry. (Proverbs 13:25)
It is not that if you love money, you will have money. It is not that if you do not want to get cancer, you will not get it. It is not that if you like to eat something, you will be able to eat it. It is not like that. If a person loves money but does not get it, how painful is their life? If a person fears God for a lifetime, God will let them eat to their heart's content. If a person loves money, they become an evil person, and the stomach of the wicked goes hungry! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. The outcome for those who please God and those who provoke God's anger is completely different. If it were me, I would rather die than be someone who pleases God.
Change Your Attitude Towards Money
A pastor came to me. Why did he come to me? Because another pastor he knew had cancer, and it had already started to spread. He asked if I could minister to him. Of course, I was willing to minister, but I had one condition: the things in his head had to be removed. For anyone who gets cancer, I am not afraid to offend you. I want you to be healed, but you have to remove the garbage in your head!
Let me ask you: If you please Jehovah God, and are a careful and obedient person before Jehovah God, doing what is right in the eyes of Jehovah, carefully obeying God’s words, will God give you cancer, ankylosing spondylitis, car accidents, or poverty? I have not found that in the Bible. So, brothers and sisters, we must be sober and be wise people! Be intelligent people, not foolish people!
I especially avoid ministering to pastors, but I still grit my teeth and go. Why do I grit my teeth and go? Because I want them to turn away from sin. They have been cursed and are living in a curse. But it is not easy to pull them out of the curse because they do not like to hear the word curse. They even tell me they are not cursed, they are Job. I tell them, Forget it, even Job needed to repent. You still want to be Job? They cannot even say the word curse. It is truly a helpless situation. We must know for sure that those who trust in God lack no good thing. These cancers, these heavy and prolonged disasters, these long and lasting illnesses, are not prepared for those who trust in God. Those who trust in God lack no good thing!
Why do pastors get these diseases? Traditional theological concepts themselves do not conform to the word of God! Why? We can refute them with just one sentence: How much are they like Jesus? They do not do what Jesus did, and they do a lot of things Jesus did not do. Can they be like Jesus? Brothers and sisters, we must wake up. Later, I agreed to minister to him, but because I was not very familiar with him, I had a small condition. I asked if we could find someone who knows both him and me well, and I would minister to him through that person. I can give my time, pay the price, and I can find my co-workers to minister to him because I want him to be healed and delivered from cancer.
The dirtiest thing inside people is the stuff in their heads. If these people all believe that they have been doing things wrong for the past few decades, it will be easy to handle. So, seek diligently and do not be foolish. I can tell you all that many pastors say they do not love money on the surface, but in their bones, they are very fond of money. There are also many pastors who are very lazy. When I say this, I worry that someone will say to me, Do you think you have done everything right? I have not done everything right. Am I not trying hard to do things right? May God have mercy on me! What is everyone's attitude towards money? It is not that I do not know that money can buy good computers and good food. Of course, I know! But I never splurge on myself. I eat the cheapest food. Do you know why I eat the cheapest food? Because cheap is healthy.
No one will fake the ingredients in cheap noodles, but someone will make fake bird’s nests. No one makes cheap liquor, like Red Star Erguotou and Jiang Xiaobai. There are not many fakes, but there are many fake Maotai. The cost of cheap ones is not high, and the cost of making fakes is even higher than the real ones. Who would make fakes? Can you buy fake cabbage? Fake cabbage is more expensive than real cabbage! It takes a lot of effort to make a fake cabbage that looks like real cabbage.
My life is also very simple. I do not wear expensive clothes, and I do not pierce my ears or wear gold necklaces, gold earrings, or gold bracelets. But the tools I use to minister are well-maintained and orderly. So, brothers and sisters, do you understand? I am very frugal on myself. I can earn money, and my needs are not great. I just want to do one thing: to do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah God and shoulder the destiny of this generation.
Conclusion: Trust in Jehovah, Lack No Good Thing
This generation has too many needs, and this generation has too many false gospels that do not conform to the Bible. So, brothers and sisters, let us be wise, intelligent, knowledgeable, and God-fearing people together. Change your attitude towards money and know that money can solve few problems, but our God can solve many problems! So, trust in God well. Those who trust in God lack no good thing. I hope everyone chooses to be a righteous person, chooses to be a wise person, and chooses to be a person after God’s own heart.
May God bless everyone!
Q&A
How to distinguish between the wicked and the righteous? Who are the wicked? Who are the righteous?
What determines our future?
A. Money
B. Working hard
C. Power
D. Jehovah GodWhy is it said that a person's attitude towards money determines whether they can listen to instruction? Are these two related?
How can one become a wise person? Are wise people necessarily poor?