“Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 11:1-6, NASB)

There are things money can buy, and there are things it cannot. People tend to think that everything and even people can be bought if the price is right. This is a lie that the devil has sown in the world. For example, money can buy a house, but only righteousness can build a home. Money can buy a bed, but only a clear conscience before God can buy a good night’s sleep. There are currencies that we use in the world to buy and sell things, but there is also a currency of the soul that makes worldly things useless. Today’s reading shows us a big difference between what the world values and what God values. It says,

“A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight. When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the falseness of the treacherous will destroy them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.”

My favorite words for today are: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” It reminded me of Jesus’ famous Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21. It speaks of a wealthy man who was very productive and began to think of ways to enlarge his barns and build bigger storage spaces for his goods. He said to himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” However, God scolded him by saying, “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?” Then Jesus concluded the parable by saying, “So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

We spend much of our time accumulating security in the form of bank accounts, assets, and investments, but when it comes to dealing with our ultimate debt, that is, sin and its consequences, those things are useless currency. We cannot buy our way out of God’s judgment in the “day of wrath.” We cannot extend a single day in our lives with money (Mt.6:27). We cannot buy our way into heaven, no matter how much money we have in our hands. Forgiveness of sin, peace with God, and deliverance from eternal hell are gifts that were bought with blood, not silver or gold. Apostle Peter makes it clear, “You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet.1:18-19).

Solomon’s words imply a connection between how we see and use money and the kind of faith we have in God. When we value our relationship with God, then we value how He sees and values things. The words “false balance” and “just weight” in verse 1 reveal how we handle our money matters more to God than how much of it we have. It means money is a tool, not a master, and true wealth is found in being in right relationship with God, the true Master. The words “pride” and “humble” in verse 2 show that money can make us greedy, proud, and selfish, and we lose sight of what is right and wrong. The love of money can blind us to the truth, cause us to believe a lie, and make us delusional. When we all stand before the judgment seat of God, things such as money, possessions, titles, and achievements will be stripped away. What matters in that moment will be our “integrity,” revealed by the uprightness of our hearts. What matters will be the kind of relationship we have with God, demonstrated by our faith and obedience to His words. In the end, the only thing that will truly matter is what God says to you: “Well done, good and faithful servant” or “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

• Why do you think God cares so much about how we handle our money?
• How will your soul stand under the weight of God’s final judgment when you are left with nothing but your character and your deeds?