October 3rd

Flourish in the LORD

Proverbs 11:28
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch

The Righteous Shall Flourish

The word “flourish” in this verse means to sprout, bud, grow, and bloom. It also means to spring forth and spread, in the way that, for example, as a branch shoots forth.

It is amazing how many believers seem to be adamantly against the notion that a Christian can prosperity. Even the word “prosperity” tends to be taken in a negative sense, as if it has something to do with greed and selfish ambition. Yet the Bibles says that the righteous shall flourish.

Trusting in Riches

This verse also teaches that those who trust in riches shall fall. Wealth is not an evil thing, until it becomes the thing that one is trusting in. Wealth and riches do not make a good replacement for God.

It is only when one’s heart is trusting in and committed to the LORD that there is the capability of safely handling wealth. One of the things that the LORD deals with in the believer’s life is covetousness. One who is not covetous can own wealth without being owned by it.

Jesus told the story of a wealthy man who received a bumper crop one year and tried to hoard up all of it to himself, but ended up dying before he could enjoy it. And Jesus spoke of that man in Luke 12:21.

Luke 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others, and He will continue to prosper us as we bless others.

Become a blessing today. Give some of what you’ve been blessed with to bless others. Let the love of God reach someone else through you, and let the grace of God cause you to begin to flourish.