Today the idea of prosperity is on the table. i know what i think it is, but what does the Lord say about it?
So much of my life has been spent struggling to keep my head above water in keeping the bills paid. Don’t get me wrong, the Lord has always made a way, sometimes quite spectacularly, nevertheless, being well and being able to provide for my family has always been such a stinkin’ struggle it is unbelievable. i’ve never considered myself a prosperous person, at least according to my definition of what i thought it meant. You know … i’ve been wrong. i’ve realized in the last few years that i’ve been merely surviving, and God says i’m supposed to be prospering.
So, one day, while walking, i entered into a conversation with the Lord out of concern because i knew i had spent most of my life merely surviving and wondered out loud as to what He meant when He used the word “prosperous”. Shortly, a question or two floated across my mind. “If your bills were paid, would you see yourself as prosperous?” Yes. Then i wouldn’t have to worry if we’ll pay the electric bill or not. That would be amazing. “If you and your wife were the spitting images of health, would you see yourself as prosperous?” Yes. Then i wouldn’t be so troubled about if we couldn’t work, how would we make money to pay the bills. That would also be amazing. “If you drove a nice car, had heat when it was cold, had hot and cold running water, comfortable furniture, a great smart phone, your bills paid in advance, and were gloss-photo examples of health, then would you see yourself as prosperous?” Uh oh. Now i’m beginning to see where He’s going, and i’m suddenly, none too comfortable.
When i got home, i set off on a journey to better understand God’s view of prosperity, and for a large part, it’s not what we think, nor is it what we are often taught. Isn’t it absolutely absurd to teach other believers that if they aren’t wealthy, they are on the outs with God, or that there is sin in their life. i find that especially cruel to burden people with that sort of crazy doctrine. How would we explain that kind of thing to the believers who live in desperate places, or is our man-made idea of prosperity only for the elite in America?
Straight out of the gate, David declares in Ps33:12 that any nation whose God is the Lord is prosperous, prosperous often being translated as blessed. Jesus is our perfect and just weight by which we measure our well being. He called Himself “the door”, so through Him do we possess our righteous reflection, through Him is all our aspiration of well being, continually capturing our breath as unto the Lord. THAT is prosperity. Christ alone is our standard of humility, and by His living in our heart, we exude the impression and spark of His person. THAT is living in prosperity. Jesus is the image through and by whom we come to covenant peace, wholeness, beauty, and a perfect heart in the eyes of the Father.
13 times in Matthew Jesus used the word “blessed” which is to also say “prosperous”. That is prosperous in the sense of parents with fine children, mothers with admirable sons, and a bridegroom who has won an excellent bride. It is used in the sense of those who have found great joy in love, and those who have good wisdom and understanding. With prosperity comes a striding of honor, not strutting in self-elevation, but striding of honor. God appointed honor and respect is also called prosperity. The Lord considers us prosperous when our inner Christ-likeness is visible.
Proverbs 20:7 is translated using the word blessed for prosperity, so we can say the children of those who are righteous and walk in integrity are prosperous. A prosperous person is one who walks in fullness of life, or the fullness of your space, has honor and wisdom, wisdom being a consistent mark of prosperity from cover to cover in the Bible. A lack of wisdom is also an earmark of poverty. Near to the Lord is to be prosperous, and far from God is to be among the poor. Jesus said in John12:8 the poor will always be with us, and the use of poor there doesn’t mean those who don’t have stuff, but more a spiritual, moral, or ethical poverty.
How many times have i been told by some well meaning soul, that the reason i wasn’t prosperous was because there must be sin in my life. Their idea of poverty was barely having enough money, not having a nice car or a comfortable place to live and influential friends. Friends, if we think material possession is prosperity, God has told us different and we have refused to listen, which, again, the word “stupid” comes to mind because we have refused to listen.
The Lord says a little about being well off, fat, and having plenty of everything, and many times that is right on. But by far and large God’s idea of prosperity is seen in the wonderful word picture of Gal5:22-23. The O.T. idea of prosperity, and this is amazing, so listen, the O.T. picture of prosperity is of an ox, that is so robust, and has a neck that is so massive, it literally snaps the yoke from it’s neck. THAT is God’s idea of prosperity. His intent is to make you and i so robust and massive, all yokes of bondage snap off our necks. Pretty incredible, and way different than the picture of prosperity we’ve been often taught from the pulpit.
Having lots of stuff and your bills paid doesn’t necessarily make you prosperous, it just makes you having lots of stuff and your bills paid. More importantly, do you exercise wisdom and understanding, are you prosperous in your having received the message of salvation? Our strength for right conduct is indicative of thriving prosperity. Outward success is aligned as “fleeting earthly happiness”, and there is a rebuke in Malachi 3 to those who decide that they are prosperous according to outward success.
We are prosperous in Christ, the humble door, reflection and image of righteousness, who is alive in us. You and i, as children of the most high are highly favored, and greatly blessed. We are prosperous not merely surviving.
What do you think?