Wealth is a Crown

(Prov 14:24 NLT) Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness.

This morning we continue our series, In our last message Solomon said, “All hard work pays off. But if all you do is talk, you will be poor.” While commenting on that verse I shared other scriptures with you that connect diligence to prosperity and laziness to poverty.

Now, when I say, “prosperity,” most people immediately think about money. While that is not totally incorrect, it is definitely incomplete. Godly prosperity has to do with a great deal more than just money. But to be clear, this verse is talking about material wealth. Solomon was extremely wealthy and his wealth opened doors for him, in the secular arenas, in ways that almost nothing else could.

The word crown in this text is also translated: wreath. The crown or the wreath is what others see, especially the ungodly. We have to remember that we are not trying to reach spiritual people. If we were attempting to reach spiritual people, then they would be impressed with our spirituality. But the Father has called us to reach the world, and that means that we are attempting to reach people without the Holy Spirit, without spiritual discernment, without understanding of the scriptures, and without the love of God.

When you approach an ungodly person and tell them about your relationship with your God, they often want to know, “How’s it working for you?” If all they see in you is problems, then they won’t be attracted to your God, because they already have problems. They need to see something in you that they don’t have. Things like peace, joy, internal rest, vision, self-control, and etc. Furthermore, many will also want to know how you are doing financially.

The sad reality is that many in the world will not receive the wisdom/advice of the poor. In Ecclesiastes Solomon told a story that helps illustrate this. He said:

“Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long” (Ecc 9:13-16).


His point is that wealth of the wealthy opens doors to levels of influence that the poor will seldom walk through.

The latter portion of the text tells us that the effort of the fool simply leads to more foolishness. While the person with Godly wisdom will exhibit characteristics that promote wealth (like hard work, honesty, integrity, fiscal responsibility (giving and saving), and diligence in Godly matters), the person without Godly wisdom will exhibit characteristics that promote poverty (like laziness, lying, poor spending habits, and overall irresponsibility). Since their efforts of the fool are foolish, it only leads to more foolishness.

So what does this mean to you ? It means you should desire to prosper (in every area of your life) so that you can have the greatest level of influence possible. Remember, the Father wants you to make an impact in your sphere or influence FOR HIM! I will close with the words of Matthew Henry about this text. He said: “If men be wise and good, riches make them so much the more honorable and useful… those that have wealth, and wisdom to use it, will have a great opportunity of honoring God and doing good in the world.”

Father, I thank You for blessing me to receive and apply Your wisdom. I know the value and importance of things like hard work, integrity, diligence and fiscal responsibility. I declare, by faith, that I will honor You in all my ways. I maximize every opportunity You give me and I honor You with all that I receive. Financially, I apply Your wisdom to both giving and saving, and as You open doors for me to operate in greater levels of influence, I declare that will share all that You have blessed me to learn; giving You the glory every step of the way. I In Jesus’ name. Amen!