Tiny Devotional for RED Friday, 08-18-2023

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, Remember Everyone Deployed!

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
Proverbs 18:11, NASB

I’m struggling to get to the truth contained in this verse. At the same time, I am QUITE aware that there is truth on the surface that doesn’t require deep thoughts.

My problem: compared to the rest of humanity who have ever walked the earth, I am rich, and I always have been. Even when I was unemployed or under-employed, I always had a safety net of friends or family, so I’ve never had to sends my kids to bed hungry.

SO: how can I possibly look on this verse as an outsider? 

I think I found the answer in something I wrote in the above paragraph: “safety net.”

When I used the term ‘friends,’ I’m not referring to work buddies I played racquetball with. True, I have had that kind of friend, but I’ve never thought of going to them and asking for help. I was thinking about the deep relationships I’d formed with other Christian believers. 

Those are my strong city; those are my high wall. Not just in my imagination, either! I’ve lived in their houses, driven their cars, eaten their food, and spent their money, and not once have I been made to feel like a beggar, or been made ashamed. It goes both ways, too. It is a JOY to be able to give.

That’s what makes me an outsider to this rich man, who relies on gold and silver for protection.  My wealth is in my Christian family, and they really DO protect me.

Peace be on your household.