Proverbs 13:7
7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
Our verse today reminds us that riches are not measured by the wealth one may accumulate in his or her lifetime. As I read there were certain characters that came to my mind, those from personal experience and those from the Bible who fit perfectly into this verse. Some fall into the poor rich man's lot and others into the rich poor man's lot. We've known those who have made themselves rich serving themselves and they came to the end of life and were some of the poorest and most miserable people, it turns out that substance makes for horrible company, and we've known others who have spent their life and all their riches serving the Lord and others, truly it cost them everything thing, but the joy in their heart and the lives changed and their eternal reward is far greater payment than any figure in an account or amount of goods acquired.
Let's talk first about some Poor Rich men, do you remember the rich young ruler? He came to Jesus to know what he may do to inherit eternal life. He was ready to do anything asked of him, except one, he was not ready to part with his riches. Those riches held a higher evaluation in his heart than eternal life. He went away sad, but not changed, what a poor rich man he was. Do you remember the rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and faired sumptuously every day? He never had a care in this world, he had wanted for nothing, nor cared for anyone in his life. Yet, the instant he died he became so poor that his home was the haunt of Devils, his daily entertainment was the shrieks of torment and he couldn't even afford one drop of water. Imagine going to hell from a palace, spending life in luxury but eternity in languish. What a Poor rich man he was. It isn't just death that brings poverty to most rich men, but often long before life has ended the joy of life has departed, they made themselves rich and they find "Yet they have nothing." Many rich men, surrounded by their substances have hardly found one reason to go on living. Let these examples warn you of such a poor rich life.
Then we have our rich poor men. Note that they made themselves poor. It is a bible principle that we can trade our earthly goods for heavenly ware. We've all heard the famous quote by the Martyr Jim Elliot, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep for what he cannot lose," and it's true today. Two men from the Scriptures came to my heart this morning when I thought of rich poor men. Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." Paul had seen this principle and lived his life by it, that whatever affliction may find us here, whether pain or poverty it can not compare to the glory of the life to come. So he set his eyes on the things not seen in the here and now and having his eyes set on eternity his walk followed his sight. That is, his eyes were set on the Lord Jesus Christ, our supreme example in all things and especially in this issue of being a rich poor man. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." [2 Corinthians 8:9]. Jesus was richer than any mortal ever has been, he was above us not just in what he had but who he was and he laid all of that down and was made "A little lower than the angels for the suffering of death." He came to this world and was made poor for our sakes. He lived out the years of his earthly life in a carpenter's shop in the hills of the Judean countryside. His birthing room was a stable and his death bed was a cross. He made himself poor and yet what great riches have abounded from his life of poverty! It is through his poverty that we have been made rich! Not rich in things seen but things unseen."It's not what you see that makes me a king! Treasures unseen! These treasures of salvation, joy, peace, justification, and reconciliation are of such greater value than the riches of this earth that truly they do not compare, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Today we should set our eyes on the poorest, richest man to ever walk this earth and strive to barter all our earthly lives for the riches of eternity.
My home may not look like a castle
my clothes may be lacking in style
and if you come sit at my table
a meager supply you might find
But oh its not what you see
that makes me a king,
makes me a king.
To me I've everything,
all that I need, all that I need,
treasures unseen
My God made a world filled with beauty
with things we enjoy every day
The Secret to Hidden Possessions
is to love him and serve him each day
But oh it's not what you see
that makes me a king,
makes me a king.
To me I've everything,
all that I need, all that I need,
treasures unseen
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