But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.” (Luke 15:22-23)
We all know God tells us to rejoice in Him at all times, whether good or bad, when we’re down and when we’re up (Phil.4:4). And He says, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” (Jas.5:13) This tells us that when Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison, they were cheerful, for Acts 16:24-25 says they, “were praying and singing psalms to God.” Check out Habakkuk 3:17-18, where the prophet says that no matter how big a crop failure he has, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord my God, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Having said all that, we have to admit that it is easier to be full of joy when we have plenty and are prosperous. Famous singer and actress, Pearl Bailey, said, “I’ve been a rich Christian. I’ve been a poor Christian. I’d rather be a rich Christian.” Who wouldn’t? Joy is an inside job, but what goes on around us is nonetheless important. Financial poverty is a bigtime downer. It’s not fun to be broke or poor.
The prodigal son teaches us the difference between being poor and rich. Much poverty is because of lifestyle choices. Some are just lazy. Some waste their lives and what they have on drugs and booze; what the Bible calls prodigal or wasteful living. This son in Luke 15 ended up in the hog pen starving because he wasted his possessions with prodigal living. A tv network journalist spent a week with the homeless people in L.A. and concluded, “This city does not have a homeless problem. It has a drug problem.” That is true of a lot of cities. Prodigal living is the cause of much poverty. But some is caused by circumstances beyond anyone's control.
We can’t blame God for the world’s poverty. We weren’t poor in Eden and we won’t be in the New Jerusalem. Deuteronomy 28 shows clearly that poverty is a curse and prosperity is a blessing from God.
God desires His children to “prosper in all things” (3Jn.2) just like you do for your kids. Notice what this son said when he was in the hog pen, “How many of my father’s servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger.” (v.17) That is the very definition of prosperity: more than enough! The dad made his servants prosperous. What do you think he would do for his sons?
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