Transfer of wealth
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| 'No one has ever become poor from giving' ~Anne Frank |
So the other day I was
reading the book of Isaiah when a particular verse struck me as weird. In chapter
23, the 17th and 18th verses went like this:
“At
the end of seventy years, the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will
return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the
kingdoms on the face of the earth .Yet her profit and her earnings will be set
apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her
profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food
and fine clothes”
The passage clearly talks about Tyre,
and how the Lord has planned to punish it. But why does the Lord, the Ruler
with immeasurable riches need Tyre’s earnings and profit? God can clearly bless
his people with better earned money? I mean, God can bless his people in so
many ways. Why choose this way?
On reading the scriptures I understood
that God has always let the rich gather up money and wealth for one reason: to
give it to those in need. You could be a stinger, saving up every penny. You could
refuse to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. But in the end, your money will
fulfill that purpose, if God has planned it so.
When the Assyrians besieged Samaria in
2 Kings, their entire stock was ultimately used by Israelites after the four
lepers found the camp empty. When the Israelites left Egypt, they were told to
plunder their Egyptian neighbors. Though Zacchaeus saved up a lot of wealth,
the Lord bought about a change of heart in him so that the poor would get back
more than what they had paid to him.
“The wealth of the wicked is reserved for the righteous.”
~ Proverbs 13:22
A lot of Christians, people who claim
that they ‘know’ the scriptures and live a ‘holy’ life are usually so scared of
their financial stability and insist on opening more FDs and investing their
money for a secured income. Their defense for doing so? “Well sister, I know
God takes care. I am just doing this so that I can save up for my kids’ future
education”. Or worse, they say that God won’t mind it or that there is nothing
wrong in a little investment. Sure, you can invest, but you don’t have to compromise
on your tithe money for that! A little contribution to a good cause apart from
your tithes will also help.
You are fed well, clothed fine and
sleeping soundly under a roof. You accept that it is all by God’s grace you are
so well blessed. Why can’t you donate a little money and help others a bit? Why
does your face go long and disturbed when someone asks if you can support a child’s
education from your church?
‘Wicked’ doesn’t refer just only the
murderers and greedy people or those who have their whole bodies tattooed and pierced. It
also refers to the ones attending church every week and hearing the word of God
yet refusing to listen to it.
The wicked can gather up as much wealth
as they want, but the righteous will be the ones to inherit it.
~Lilac
Blossom
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