The third lunar day of the month of Vaisakha (Indian calendar) is termed as Akshaya Tritiya, a springtime festival. There would be a lot of attractive advertisement before that date from gold jewelers and also banks. Jewelers would state that buying gold ornament will make a person/family prosperous as the gold will ‘grow’. Banks would urge people to invest in gold ‘biscuit’ and that too would grow. No wonder, on that particular day in the year there would be heavy rush to buy gold in almost all parts of India. Being rich and becoming rich is not sin, but the Scripture gives us understanding about wealth, riches and prosperity.
1) God’s Blessings: “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18) For people of God, He provides strength, which includes physical strength, wisdom, skills, abilities and opportunities to create wealth.
2) Righteousness: “Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!” (Psalms 72:3) Getting riches based on righteousness is affirmed in the Word of God. Wealth should be obtained by righteous deeds and not by illegal or unrighteous or unjust or subtle or deceptive means. Root and fruit of righteousness is blessings and prosperity for a Godly purpose.
3) Purposeful wealth: God gives wealth to multiply, share with others and give to poor. Wealth is indeed a test for our ‘spirituality’. Do we love ‘wealth’ more than Lord Jesus Christ? Is contentment our spiritual trait or we fall again into sin of covetousness?
4) Eternal investment: Lord Jesus Christ counselled to use earthly wealth to gain eternal friends. (Luke 16:9) Using our resources in the world for the godly purpose of helping people to find Lord Jesus Christ as personal saviour is important. That will bring heavenly rewards.
Growing gold or money may bring temporal benefits. Investing all we have for His Kingdom will bring eternal rewards.
How is my heavenly investment today?