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Proverbs 28:20

Do you wish you could get rich quickly? Repent! It is a sinful desire, and it will ruin your life. It will distort your judgment, create many temptations for your soul, and bring both natural and supernatural laws against your finances. Instead, work hard at a noble and useful job and wait for both natural and supernatural blessings to abound (28:19,21-22).

There is context for this proverb. The faithful man here is a financially faithful man, one rejecting vain persons and working diligently at a farm (28:19,21-22). God promises prosperity to men who do not get distracted by delusions for quick financial success. But he warns greedy men, who grasp at get-rich-quick ideas, of coming judgment.

Faithfulness here is constant, persevering, and steady effort at a wise trade or business. It is contrasted to impulsive and imprudent actions of a man impatient about money and greedy to get ahead. Solomon knew men would be tempted to despise boring jobs and/or follow business and investment scams, so he warned you (12:11; 13:23; 14:23; 28:19).

Haste distorts judgment: it narrows your perspective and shortens your timing, ruining the greater success of a long-term plan (6:6-8; 12:11; 13:4,23; 14:4; 30:25). Second, it suggests temptations that destroy greedy men (14:15; 15:27; 22:3; 28:21; I Tim 6:6-10). Third, it brings natural and divine judgment (20:21; 23:4-5; Eccl 5:13; Luke 12:15-21).

Grasp the lesson! Some greedy persons buy lottery tickets or gamble in casinos! Both are guaranteed confiscation leading to financial ruin! The only winner is the state or casino. The money lost came out of savings, which forfeits future investments. The draw of the "winners" makes it addictive. A real job becomes dull. They are foolish wasters (18:9).

These idiots cannot see that lotteries are a device to tax the poor, who have no income or assets to tax (or intelligence to know they are being taxed). The governmental unit gets them to voluntarily pay extra taxes by hyping the amount in the jackpot. What is the bottom line, every time? The state gains, and the poor get poorer, every time.

Casinos appeal to the more sophisticated. Las Vegas has lots of glitter, posh rooms, live entertainment, buffets of food, and free drinks to loosen your purse. Based on careful statistics, the house allows winning often enough to keep you playing until they own you.

Consider another example. A man wanting to get ahead quickly decides he cannot afford to give financially to the Lord. He reasons that he will be a big giver once he is financially comfortable. By stealing from God, he activates divine laws that will reduce him to poverty, no matter how hard and smart he works (11:24; Hag 1:5-10; Mal 3:8-12).

Another man lets his medical insurance policy lapse. After all, he has had no claims on it in three years! He puts the premium money to work in several network marketing ideas. Having violated a law of prudence by exposing himself unnecessarily to risk, he is bankrupt the next year due to his wife's emergency mastectomy (6:1-5; 27:12-13).

Another man frets about interest. Banks are paying 4% annually. But his spam email shows a 25% monthly return, guaranteed! He blesses himself and invests in the Ponzi scheme, showing his family the Lexus he will buy in three months. When the FBI calls, the 4% looks like gold! But it is too late! His haste drove him to believe the impossible!

A conservative man laughs at these examples. He is too smart for any scams. He will not cheat the Lord. He gives 12% every year (which only costs him 7% after taxes)! He ridicules lottery tickets and Ponzi schemes. He works diligently - at two jobs - until he wakes up one day with a heart attack, divorce papers, and children that hate him!

Another man decides saving cramps his lifestyle. He stops saving and trades up in house and cars. He wants the good life now! When a great business deal comes along, he has no capital to invest in it. When he loses his job due to a corporate takeover, he has no emergency fund. He and his wife end up working side by side in a fast food restaurant!

Another man is an accountant. He burns with ambition to be the controller. When the CFO offers him the promotion to inflate earnings for the financial statements, he reasons that he can correct the lie and theft from his new position. It is just a temporary sin. But for some reason, the CFO wants it done again next year. He is damned in his dream job!

A judge with a covetous heart is offered a bribe to fudge a widow's estate in probate. He makes sure that the woman will get enough to live comfortably, but he interprets the will in the favor of his benefactor. He died just two years later from slow and painful brain cancer. His last thought? Why did I forget the Judge of all judges (Ps 68:5; Eccl 5:8)?

A truck driver hated being known as a truck driver. He got no professional respect. He began to despise his job. When a Rolex-wearing, convertible-driving, always-smiling man told him about multi-level riches in overpriced soap, he sold his rig and jumped in with both feet. He was last seen digging graves by hand, with a garage full of soap!

Another man assessed his finances at year-end. His balance sheet showed little progress. How could he get rich at this pace? The next day was tax day. Surprise! He fudged his tax return just a little. He was last seen in federal prison, without a garage full of soap!

A faithful man accepts the boring job God gave him, works diligently and patiently, saves and gives liberally, hates lies and scams, avoids risk, is scrupulously honest, cares for friends and enemies, and trusts the Lord for daily bread. He was last seen with a sizable estate, living in contented peace with his only wife, and enjoying his grandchildren.

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