The Deceitfulness of Riches

The Bible talks about the deceitfulness of riches and its ability to choke the Word of God out of us. At that point, the Word of God is no longer our focus, but other things that we deem more important.

But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

– Mark 4:19

What are riches?

Riches are defined as the total of one’s property, wealth, sustenance, and net worth. Riches are necessary to function in this world. With them, we buy goods, services, and other needs.

Is having wealth bad?

Riches in and of themselves aren’t bad. It’s how we view the riches that can make it bad. Riches can create an illusion that everything is accessible simply by riches and thus other things that riches cannot buy aren’t useful. Things like character, love, and humility. Riches can very easily make one feel as though he has it all together. It’s important to have monetary riches as it answers all things as the Bible says:

A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry, but money answers all things. – Ecclesiastes 10:19

Someone with money can hire the best doctors, nutritionists, personal trainers, chefs, and live a long time. Whereas a poorer man may fall victim to certain illnesses more common to the lifestyle of someone poor who cannot afford as much. Money and riches definitely make a huge difference, but there are some things financial riches will not be able to resolve.

These things require humility and trust outside of one’s wealth. The illusion created by money that makes it deceitful is believing that’s all there is. Having money and wealth is the height and there is no need for anything else.

If riches aren’t bad what makes it deceitful?

People who are deceived by riches place their trust in their money and not in God. Mark 4 lets us know the seed of the Word of God gets planted into a man’s heart and there are different soils of our heart that the Word of God can either grow on producing fruit. Or, the Word of God can be choked or stunted not producing fruit in one’s life.

This is the illusion of the deceitfulness of riches. Deceit means a lie. More specifically, it means, “the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid (Merriam Webster.”) Someone deceived by riches believes they no longer need the Word of God. They forget the path of humility and God’s hand of goodness promoting them to such a point of wealth.

This is why the Bible says it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. A person deceived by riches is often prideful and doesn’t see the need to humble themselves to access various things in the kingdom of God that are only accessed through humility.

The Bible is clear that except we walk in humility as children we will in no wise inherit the kingdom of heaven.

What can someone who has been deceived by riches do?

The great thing is God is good! He allows various seasons to come into our lives that humble us bringing us back to our need for him. There is a story in the Old Testament about a King named Asa. He was a righteous king who sought the Lord. As Asa grew in riches, favor, and notoriety with his neighboring kings; he began to withdraw his trust from the Lord.

Instead, he began to replace his trust in the Lord with trust in riches. He can be seen in scripture paying off kings to rally with him to fight other nations. Previously, he’d sought the Lord about fighting other nations.

The Lord sent a prophet to king Asa to correct him. A judgment from God was pronounced on Asa saying from now on Asa will be at war because he felled to seek the Lord. Later, Asa fell victim to a foot disease, and even with the disease, he did not seek the Lord. He only sought help from what his riches could bring him calling for physicians.

We see one of the gravest mistakes in trusting in riches is seeking what it can do for you above what the Lord can do for us. The Bible says it’s God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. God has things for us that money cannot buy.

God is so good that he allows different seasons in our lives that allow us to go up and down with the pains and joys of life. The hope is that we would remember to seek and acknowledge the Lord in all seasons of our lives. It seems obvious to seek the Lord when we are down and out with no other options. However, when we are rich in the enjoyment of life we sometimes forget like King Asa.

The humble reminders work as a tool to bring us back to ourselves. Ourselves, simply put, are people in need of God. If no other season is so obvious as a need to seek the Lord it’s when we are down.

Perhaps the even-flow of things going so well during our richest seasons has convinced some of us that we no longer need God like Asa. Let’s examine our hearts when things are going well. Let’s ensure that we humble ourselves always keeping before us our need for God.

Being thankful and Remembering to Seek the Lord in all of Our Ways will Protect Us from the Deceitfulness of Riches

The following suggestions will help in avoiding the deceitfulness of riches: maintaining a posture of thankfulness and gratefulness, being open to correction, fasting and prayer, and keeping a consistent routine of seeking the Lord in all of our ways. We can help others achieve success who aren’t on our level yet but are willing to do the work to be someday as another way to remain grateful. If we continue in these things we will continue to bring forth fruit in our lives that riches cannot produce.

Looking to Jesus the author and Finisher of our faith!