Proverbs 11:3-5 (ESV)
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
Those who follow the Lord will be safely led to their eternal home, even though they experience difficulty in this life. The unrighteous face a bitter end, filled with violence and devastation. Many spend their lives seeking to amass a financial fortune, but in death, it will profit them nothing. No one will buy her way out of the judgment or take the world’s goods with her into the life to come. Our only hope of standing on the last day is rooted in our response to the gospel of Christ. The journey of the righteous is free from stumbling blocks, while the way of the wicked is loaded with spiritual obstacles that lead to their ultimate demise; hence, Proverbs addresses the topic of money often. Clearly, our finances impact the daily decisions we make. What is your attitude toward money? Are you using your wealth to build God’s kingdom, or your own?