Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV) -- Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Wealth is a gift from the LORD. We shouldn’t despise what the LORD gives us. Money and possessions are not bad things. If they begin to rule our hearts and garner our devotion, they become bad. But by themselves they are not bad. God gives good gifts. We should keep them in proper perspective as gifts, and honor God with them. 

This is what our passage today helps us to understand. The proverb says, “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Notice first the command to honor the LORD with your wealth. Don’t use it in ungodly ways. Be thankful. Give it generously to the things of God. Honor the LORD with the firstfruits of your produce. This means the first of our income. We are not to give leftovers, but our first. The Christian should begin with 10% of all earned income to the local church. Additionally, we should give to other ministries we believe in and want to see further their mission. 

Then there is a promise associated with this command. If we honor the LORD with our wealth and firstfruits, then our barns will be stocked and wine vats overflowing. This isn’t a guarantee of being rich. What it does mean is that we cannot out-give God. If we are faithful with what God has given us, He will continue to bless us. God is a generous giver. When we are generous, He blesses. 

What does this look like for you? Are you giving faithfully of everything God gives you? Are you honoring the LORD with your wealth and firstfruits? This is often the last place Christians surrender to the LORD. But faithfulness in this area can be the key to experiencing more of God’s blessing (not just material) in our lives.

Reflection & Journal:
- Why do so many Christians treat wealth as a bad thing?
- What does this passage teach us to do with our money and wealth?
- How should this truth relate to our lives? What does obedience mean for you?

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