Wealth and Reputation

Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. (1 Ch 29:12 ESV)

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’  You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth... (Dt 8:17,18 ESV)

Observations:

1. Wealth, if one has it, is from God.  Let one never suppose that what one has monetarily and/or materially is deserved or of one's own doing. 

2. Power, if one has it, is from God.  Let one never suppose that the position one has is deserved or because of one's intrinsic greatness.

3. Reputation is from God. He is the provider and protector of what others think of us. Seek not to protect one's own reputation but entreat God as your protector to act when one is wrongly accused. (This does not mean to not act justly when it is in our power to do so).

4. One's wealth, power and reputation are not indicators of one's position with God.


See 1 Samuel 2:7 also.

Mighty Warrior?

Gideon was the first of Israel's judges. He was the least of his family from the weakest clan of the line of Manasseh, the son of Joash the Azeirite. The Midianites had been opressing the Israelites to the point where Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press to get food in hiding from his enemies. Just then the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, "the Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Gideon questions the Angel about the Lord's presence in light of Israel's oppression, and the LORD says, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” And then, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” Judges 6:1-14

Observations:
1) God sees not only who Gideon is but who he will be. He does not address him as an oppressed young man in a weak clan and family but as a mighty warrior. In the same way, he sees us as we will be, as we are meant to be. He sees us as his adopted sons and daughters, righteous before him in Christ.
2) God uses the weak to do great things. Gideon's position before his time of leadership makes his success all the more glorifying to God. Therefore, our weakness and failures are never reasons to believe God will not do great things through us. On the contrary, our weakness increases the potential for God to use us...for where we are weak, he is strong (2 Cor 12:9).
3) God is the power and cause behind Gideon's (and Israels') success against the Midianites. We should always look to the Almighty God as the source of all things whether material, positional, or spiritual. He deserves all the glory.
4) The Angel of the Lord appears in bodily form and is called the LORD suggesting this is a preincarnate appearance of Jesus.
5) God saves the Israelites when they cry out to him in their oppression after sinning against him for a period of time. God says if we seek him from a place of sin, we will find him if we search for him (Deut 4:29). Although he is sovereign over all and can do whatever he wills, he allows man to seek whom and what he wishes.

Is God calling you to something great?