Proverbs 11:4 What money cannot buy_

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

What a simple and straightforward proverb: The best of my efforts cannot buy my way into innocence on a day of accounting that is sure to come. But when that day comes, similar to when the angel of death visited the firstborn in Egypt, the provision that God makes for us will be an escape from the curse that Adam received in the garden.

I devote a lot of time trading my time for money. For entrepreneurs, it’s not just the time but also their creativity and heart that’s invested. Of course, income is required to pay for the things we need. And great income permits us to not only help ourselves but others too. But think of how many people have had to flee their possessions, whether it be for a fire, a hurricane, or war. When it comes to saving my life, what I own is not a good accounting system for what my soul has become. Wealth is worthless at a time like this, or at any time when a transaction moves beyond currency.

Having known my loving, restoring, and good Heavenly Father for many years, it’s difficult picturing Him having “wrath,” and even more difficult presenting Him to others as wrathful in an effort to motivate them to repentance. It’s his goodness that gets people there. The word wrath means anger, rage, or fury and is used of one expressing righteous passion toward another. It’s the pursuit of justice based on the perspective of the one pursuing it. The ultimate justice being that measured out by God. As you make your way to the end of the Bible, John makes it clear in Revelation that a day of wrath is justified, and is coming. Paul says in Romans 4:15 that the basis for that wrath is the law. But where there is no law, there are no lawbreakers. And this is the good news. Jesus delivers me from being under the law so I am no longer a accountable to its rules. But it’s not based on my efforts… or my wealth.

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John‬ ‭3:36‬ ‭NASB‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

And Paul follows with:

Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. Romans‬ ‭4:4-5‬ ‭NASB‬‬‬‬ ‬‬

Our God supplies everything that we have need of – and that includes wealth. Wealth allows us opportunity and influence. All that he supplies is good. But wealth that is self-gained, self-accountable, and self-reliant, will not save. Only the riches of his righteousness in Jesus Christ will do that.