Riches and Sorrow

Original post: 4/11/07So I was reading through Proverbs earlier today, after reading my chapter in Psalms and I can across a verse: Proverbs 10:22 "The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it."

I stopped when I read this, because my first thought was, "That's not true." Now, I know I probably ought not to doubt the Bible, but that's how I felt. All my life, I've seen sorrow in the people around me...Christians and non-Christians alike. I'm sure you've seen it too. So I had to stop and think about what this verse is saying.

My study bible notes point out that "rich" refers to wealth and that along with the rest of the chapter (and Proverbs in general) it is saying that wealth is a result of wisdom, despite not being the goal of wisdom. And that's great and all, but that's not how I read it. The "rich" to me had more to do with quality of life, similar to the idea of "sorrow." And of course everyone would agree that the blessings of God are good for His people. But how can Solomon say that God brings no sorrow?

Then I was struck with an idea. What causes sorrow? More often than not it's other people and the choices they (or we, for that matter) make. Our choices can, and often, cause pain to those we hold dear. But that's just it; it's our choices. God made us with a free will to choose our own actions. I think this verse could go hand in hand with 1Cor. 10:13. God gives us a "way out." We have more than one option in a given situation. Sin or not sin; give in or walk away. It just depends on what option we choose. And unfortunately it's all to often the former and not the latter.

But despite the fact that people cause sorrow, can we really say that God does not give sorrow? I think that can only be answered in eternity. How much greater is an eternity with Him than any sort of existence on Earth, as rich or poor or homeless or materialistic or anything else that we are. Even the greatest dream I have for my life pales in comparison. The problem is constantly remembering that this immediate life we're in is not what we are destined for. The way we live our lives now, with sin and sorrow and (hopefully) repentance, may not affect the ultimate outcome of our existence (so long as we're true believers), but it certainly affects us now and all those around us presently.