The Wicked Do Prosper
When I open my Bible to Job 21 there is text in bold over the top of it, titling the chapter “Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper.” In the chapter Job talks about how the wicked often have a tendency to prosper with wealth, health and family.
As I read that chapter I got to thinking about what that means. Typically we look at someone that is healthy and wealthy and we have a tendency to say “well they are blessed.” But, it might be just as likely that they are wicked, because the wicked to prosper.
I think we make a profound mistake when we assume that God’s blessing has anything at all to do with material. Rather, it has to do with God giving more of Himself, more of His love, more of His mind. Sometimes His blessing comes in the form of a smile, sometimes in the form of an emotion, and even sometimes in the form of material. Ultimately, His blessing always points us back to Him and is designed to draw is nearer to His heart.
But, just a thought, maybe the material blessings that He gives are far fewer than the spiritual, emotional and mental blessings that he offers. We just tend to fixate on the material blessing because we can see that and we are all too often blind to His other, greater blessings. Which makes me wonder how many things God would bless me with if I would only open myself to receive even more of Him.
I’m just pontificating here, any thoughts? I would love a good conversation on this one 
June 5th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
i thought about this once in context of “unless the Lord builds the house, the builders build in vain”. it doesn’t say the house doesn’t get built without the Lord; it just says it’s done in vain.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
reminds me of so many of the ruins of the pagan temples a recently stood in. Former places of majesty erected for a god that doesn’t exist. Built completely in vain. How many hours were worked, how much sweat was poured, how much blood was shed to build a monument to nothing. In vain.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Maybe the Lord is already blessing you with these things, but your eyes just aren’t opened to see them. Maybe He’s been pouring them out upon you for years. Just a thought . . .