One of the great perversions in our human perspective happens when we confuse the end with the means. We forget that our money doesn’t mean anything. It is just paper. Just numbers. Material wealth is only valuable as a means. It is a resource to help us build, serve, and love. An opportunity to steward.
If we treat wealth as an end, we find ourselves lost and confused. Even if we realize it is only a means, if we aim our wealth at a false end, the same confusion abounds. And our solution is often more wealth, which just reinforces the spiral.
If your wealth is leading you to turmoil and hatred, what good is it? And if your wealth isn’t working toward the correct ends, more of the means is not going to help redeem the end.
Therefore, according to Proverbs, little is actually better. Less is more. If that “less” is wrapped in love and trusting God. After all, if a wealthy celebrity is miserable and an impoverished man is full of transcendent joy, which is really living the more enviable life?
We often talk about wanting to have our cake and eat it too. We want to be rich and loving. Material and spiritual wealth. The Bible says this is very hard to do. And that if we have any hope of getting there, it starts with being capable of loving with little. If we cannot trust God with little, we will never trust Him with much.