I keep coming back to this verse:
"One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." Proverbs 13:7
The word that keeps throwing me is "pretend". Why would you pretend to be rich? You either are or you are not. What does this mean? I have waited a week pondering, praying, looking up different versions and commentaries. And now today, even as I'm typing I get it.
I was going to change the word pretend to "seems to be" but then why do all the translations use pretend? Hmmmm
Pretend means "to speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not." This verse is showing the difference between worldly riches, aka lots of cash, stuff, and good deeds, and what God calls rich.
One person pretends to be rich yet has nothing. Really? NOTHING??? God's riches only come one way, through His Son Jesus Christ. When you confess your sins and put your faith in Him you are immediately indwelled with the Holy Spirit. He is the one who gives you His fruit, the true riches, that are pleasing to God. They are love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control.
The rich pretender to most looks like the real thing. They are the ones who think that by being good and doing good works they are justified before God. They do not have Jesus but in their own minds they think they are a "good" person because they do "good" things. The Bible says they have nothing. It says there is none good. NONE. Our righteousness comes only through Jesus. When you are covered by His blood in God's eyes you are good, rich, because of Him.
Another pretends to be poor yet has great wealth. To come to the Lord you must become poor. Poor in spirit. To realize your sinful condition and need for your creator. You don't come to the Lord full of yourself. You must humble yourself and truly repent. When you do this you have great wealth! The confident assurance of salvation and eternity with the Lord.
So which are you? Rich or poor? It is horrifying to think you can spend your whole life thinking you are rich only to find out you have nothing. Ask the Lord. Seek Him while He may be found. Don't wait. Your very life depends on it.
Wisdom has set her table. You are invited to take a seat.
"You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
Revelation 3:17-20
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