Bible Principles Our Children Must Learn Lesson 5 Don t Overwork to be Rich Proverbs 23:4, Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! What do you think is the most serious problem facing young people in our society today? For most people, the answers probably start with drinking, drugs, and sex. Some might add the internet, violence, and corrupt friends. Surely, all of those are serious situations, but I don t believe that any of those is the most dangerous temptation. In my mind, there are two root problems that are especially dangerous to our children: pride and covetousness. We live in the midst of a me-first and I want society. These two temptations are the gateway to all these other serious problems. Therefore, we need to address them first. Before we can teach our children to say no to drinking, drugs, and sex, we must first teach them to say no to themselves and their desires. We have previously devoted a lesson to the subject of pride. Therefore, in this lesson, we will focus on the sin of covetousness. In our last lesson, we used Colossians 3:17 as our text: And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. We made the point that God expects us to do our very best at everything that we do. We should be hard workers at home, in school, at work, in the community, and so on. Building on that lesson, I want us to consider the words of Solomon in Proverbs 23:4, do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! While we are supposed to work hard, we are not supposed to overwork to become rich. Coveting riches is not to be our goal, and our children need to learn this lesson early on in life. Please consider with me the many lessons regarding riches and covetousness that we need to teach. Challenge yourself to find ways to get this message across to your children, for it could mean the difference between heaven and hell. I. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. I guess money has always had an elevated position in society, but our society today seems to place such an inordinate amount of importance with being rich. The message that is transmitted over the airwaves and through the ambitions of the majority of Americans is that money will bring you great happiness. Even though most individuals might deny that statement, their lives support it. Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. Money does not bring happiness, but rather it brings sorrow and trouble. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). How do you bring a smile to your child s face? How do you make your child happy? Too many parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors teach children that happiness comes from getting gifts.
Our children are showered with gifts, and they learn a lie: that joy comes from getting and having. While certainly gifts have their proper place, our children must learn that true happiness has nothing to do with money or things. Before our children are old enough to understand the lessons themselves, we need to shelter them from the dangers often associated with money and the love of it: selfishness, pride, jealousy, envy, covetousness, lack of gratitude, self-reliance, etc. As our children mature, we need to explain to them about the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:22) and show them examples of people who are gaining the whole world but losing their own soul (Matthew 16:26). As food for thought, consider this question: if you wanted to teach your children to love money and things, what would you do? Would you buy them everything that they want? Would you constantly give them money to go out and waste? What would you do differently than what you re doing now? II. There s a difference between needs and wants. Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:31-33). Through these words, Jesus comforts us concerning the necessities of life. The Lord will take care of the needs of His people. Truly the words of David are correct: I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25). It is important to teach ourselves and our children that God will take care of our needs not necessarily our wants. There is a big difference between what we need and what we want. We should be diligent to teach our children the proper meaning of the term need. When our children say, I need a new toy or a new game, it would be wise to point out that this is a want not a need. However, it is equally if not more important for us to be careful of how we use the term as well. I need a new car. We need a bigger house. I need a raise. If we will step back and consider what we are saying, perhaps we would understand how blessed we are. We have so much more than the necessities of life. Let us strive to be content with such things as you have (Hebrews 13:5) and teach our children what godliness with contentment means (1 Timothy 6:6). Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content (1 Timothy 6:8). III. It is better to give than to receive. There is no better remedy for covetousness than generosity. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). We may repeat these words to our children, but do they really understand it? Perhaps they might understand it better if they gave more than they got. Jesus offered generosity as the solution for what ailed the rich young ruler. Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (Matthew 19:21-22). There are two essential ways to teach your children this lesson. 1) Give them an example to follow. Show them the joy that comes from giving. Give of your time. Give of your money. Give of yourself. And don t do it grudgingly. Do it because you mean it. 2) Provide opportunities for them to give. Teach them to give at church, to give some of their toys, to volunteer their time to help someone. You can think of a multitude of ways to help them develop a spirit of giving while they are still young.
IV. Riches and things don t last very long. The brand new car at some point turns into the clunker in the junkyard. The latest hot technological innovation becomes old and out-dated. This year s collectible craze (Beanie babies, baseball cards, barbies) are quickly replaced by something new. Last year s gotta have Christmas toy is on the clearance rack this year. We have evidence all around us of Solomon s truth: riches are not forever (Prroverbs 27:24). Riches and physical things are a temporary fixture in an eternal, spiritual world. Yet, the way we often act concerning these things might give our children the wrong idea. For what are we working? Are we working to have the physical things of life, or are we working for something more valuable? Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19). Our children see us working so that we can make money and have a nice home and a nice car and nice things, but do they also see us working just as hard or harder to have spiritual riches? V. Share what you have with others. One of the greatest lessons you can ever teach your child is also one of the simplest: to learn to share. When a child is willing to share with others, they are demonstrating the humility, selflessness, and kindness that Christ is looking for in His children. On the other hand, when a child is stubborn and refuses to share, they are demonstrating the pride, selfishness, and covetousness that Christ finds among those who will be punished eternally. Don t allow covetousness take hold of your child. If it takes hold in the early days of his life, it will lead him down a course that is filled with sorrow. Consider the example of the prodigal son. He wanted what was his, and he wanted it now. He eventually came to his senses and came home, but look at the sorrow He experienced. How many prodigal sons are out there who never come home? Sharing is not just a child s issue. It s also a big boy problem. Paul saw fit to instruct Timothy to teach sharing to Christians everywhere. Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:18). Don t be selfish with your money and your possessions. Share your home; share your toys; share your money; share your time. Show your children what it means to share. VI. You can t serve God and mammon. The Israelites wanted it all. They wanted to be the children of God, but they also wanted to be like the nations around them. They wanted to enjoy what everyone else was seemingly enjoying. Do you remember what Joshua told them? Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15). In spite of Israel failing to learn from those words, God taught them this very harsh lesson when He destroyed Israel and led Judah into captivity. Are we doing the same thing today? Do we want it both ways? We want to serve Christ, but we also want the money and prosperity that everyone else has. We sometimes cling to the idea that it s not a sin to have money (and it s not) because we really, really want to have it. Jesus issues the same ultimatum to us that Joshua did to the Israelites: No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). Jesus tells us that we are going to have to make a choice, not between having money or not having money but between living for things or living for God. Are we training our children in such a way that when they are older and making their own decisions that they will make the wise choice? VII. There are more important things than work and money. Work is an important part of our lives. God commands that we work: if anyone will not work; neither shall he eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Yet, work should only be a means to an end. It is not an end itself. Think of all of the things that are more important than work. God is more important. Seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). Family is more important. The church is more important. Seeking the needs of others is more important. What is most important to you? Is putting in the extra time to get the next promotion worth more than spending time with your family? Is working overtime on the weekend more valuable to you than meeting with the saints? What wins when a work conflicts with a family commitment? Is mommy and daddy working full-time jobs worth more than the welfare of your children? When we elevate our jobs above their proper place, are we really seeking those things which are above (Colossians 3:1)? I want you to also think about this sobering question: in the eyes of your children, what is most important to you? Do they feel that they are more important to you than your job? Fathers, we must ever be careful to instill in our children s hearts that they are of much more value to us than any job and any amount of money. VIII. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. One of the things I hope to be able to teach my daughter is how to handle money in a proper and wise manner. I want to teach her to work, to save, and to spend wisely. At some point, we will give her an allowance and allow her to begin the learning process. It is prudent to teach our children how to be good stewards of the gifts which come from God. As important as that is to me, I want most desperately for her to learn about storing up treasures in heaven. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20). We give our children piggy banks so they can learn to save money. Far more important should be to teach them to make deposits in heaven by storing up things which will never grow old: compassion, love, kindness, humility, gentleness, peace, righteousness, faith, joy, patience, etc. Isn t teaching them about these things far more valuable to them than giving them a quarter, a dollar, or even a hundred dollars? Do you want your children to be rich? While most would probably answer no, most people do want their children to have more than what they have. They hope and plan for their children to get a good education and a good job and live a good life. They are happy when they succeed regarding their physical means. I believe we need to be careful of our wishes. Remember the words of Jesus: How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! and It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:23-25). Is that really what we want? Do we want to make it harder for our children to enter the kingdom of God?