Wealth, like sex, drugs, and fame, has an unusually strong effect on people. Everyone knows sex, drugs, and fame will seriously influence us, but for some reason, we resist the idea that wealth will affect us. We don’t want to believe we could be “that person,” who is changed by wealth.
Ironically, failing to recognize wealth’s power over us will only amplify its effect. Its effects can be subtle and change us slowly over long periods of time. Jesus makes this point abundantly clear in the Parable of the Sower:
“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19, NIV)
There’s a lot to say about the dangers of wealth, but this article is specifically devoted to the ways in which wealth deceives us. Jesus portrays “mammon” as a dangerous con man, whose goal is to kill the gospel and make your life unfruitful.
Wealth Makes You Think You’re Smarter Than You Actually Are
“The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.” (Proverbs 28:11, NIV)
This one is tricky, because making wise decisions often leads to wealth. So if we’ve made a lot of money, we must have a lot of wisdom, right? Isn’t the proof in the pudding? However, that is an example of a classic logical fallacy. We ascribe a cause to an effect without properly accounting for other variables. Logically speaking, you can’t assume wisdom simply because of wealth, even if it was earned.
In psychological terms, this phenomenon might be referred to as a type of attribution bias called the “self-serving bias.”[1] It refers to people’s tendency to attribute their successes to internal factors but attribute their failures to external factors. Psychologists consider this to be an ego protection mechanism. Christians might call this pride.
“Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.” (Ecclesiastes 4:13, NIV)
“Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.” (Ecclesiastes 4:13, NIV)
The problem with thinking we’re wiser than we are is that it tends to close us off to learning. After all, why listen to others when you have all the answers? That kind of mentality chokes off personal growth and is bad for business!
“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.” (Proverbs 3:13-14, NLT)
“Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.” (Proverbs 8:10-11, NLT)
“How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!” (Proverbs 16:16, NLT)
These passages place wisdom above riches; so much so that it juxtaposes them to make them seem mutually incompatible. Here, the Bible just seems downright un-American! Should we really pursue wisdom over money? Could wisdom really be better than wealth? Absolutely.
If you really take these Scriptures to heart, it could radically change your long-term goals and plans. Instead of a beefy 401(k), you might be seeking spiritual learning experiences. This kind of thinking could also affect your short-term goals as well. Instead of trying to get ahead at work or in your business, you might focus on the quality of your work and relationships.
The effect that riches have upon us is not something to be taken lightly. Whether you have a thousand or a million in the bank, you should humble yourself before God and man, and fight to keep perspective. Always be looking for opportunities to learn and take captive arrogant thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5).
“How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!” (Proverbs 16:16, NIV)
Wealth Gives You the False Impression That You’re Physically Secure
“The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.” (Proverbs 18:11, NLT)
Wealth can do a lot, almost anything it seems (e.g., Ecclesiastes 10:19b, “money is the answer for everything”). But Solomon warns us that it has its limitations. Jesus gives us a similar warning in the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21). In that parable, a rich man was set to die on the very night he decided to build bigger barns to store his wealth.
“Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.” (Ecclesiastes 7:12, NIV)
This passage reminds me of the story of David, Nabal, and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25. Nabal was very wealthy but refused to provide food for David and his men, though David had previously benefitted Nabal. David was enraged and decided to kill Nabal and the men in his household. Abigail, Nabal’s wife, wisely rushed out to appease David. Nabal, on the other hand, ended up dying of heart failure after hearing about what almost happened.
Is God trying to scare us into generosity? Perhaps, but I think the larger message is that our wealth does not protect our life. It can make us comfortable and powerful, but when it is our time to go, nothing can stop it (Ecclesiastes 8:8). Wealth or no wealth, we must honor God and keep in perspective who has the real power over our lives.
“Wealth or no wealth, we must honor God and keep in perspective who has the real power over our lives.”
The story of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel sums this up well. Daniel’s prophecy describes Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom (the Babylonian empire) as a “head of gold,” based on the king’s dream. The king was possibly the richest man to ever live. Yet despite having the great prophet Daniel as his chief advisor, the king was consumed by wealth, greed and power.
“Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” (Daniel 4:27, NIV)
King Nebuchadnezzar ignored the advice. Daniel prophesied that the king would go insane for a period of time, then come to his senses. The king “was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox” until he praised God (verse 33, NIV). The king told this story to his entire kingdom, ending with these words:
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (Daniel 4:37, NIV)
Wealth has its place, but it is important only to a point. When we inflate its importance, it deceives us into thinking we are smarter and more secure than we are. Our time on the earth is determined by God, and no amount of wealth can change that. We only control what we do with the time and wealth that we have.
[1] “Attribution Bias.” Wikipedia. October 23, 2017. Accessed July 7, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attribution_bias#Self-serving_bias.
Excerpted from Patrick Blair, Faith and Finances: A 21st Century Biblical Guide for Growing, Protecting and Using Your Money. Used by permission.
