Wealth and Wisdom

Read: Proverbs 3:9-10 & 1 Peter 4:10-11
 
We're now in the fourth week of our sermon series, “Generous Living: The Discipline of Overflow." Over these weeks, we've been looking at stewardship and gratitude as much more than just money. Stewardship isn't only something we talk about during fundraising or when the budget needs help. It's a spiritual practice that forms how we see everything God has given us.  We started with the idea of first fruits, remembering that God deserves more than what's left after we've spent our best time, energy, and means elsewhere. We also stood with Jesus at the temple treasury and saw a poor widow give two small coins, showing us that God cares more about the heart behind the gift than its size. Last week, Psalm 23 helped us see the overflowing cup as a sign of God's presence and care in our lives. This week, we're looking at Proverbs 3:9–10 and 1 Peter 4:10–11 as we think about "Wealth and Wisdom." Again, this isn't just about money. It's about seeing God as the true source of everything we have and learning to use our time, talents, resources, influence, leadership, and spiritual gifts with God's wisdom.
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Proverbs says, "Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." For the first listeners, barns and vats meant more than just wealth. They meant food, security, and the ability to care for family and community. Filling those barns took months of hard work, waiting, and worry. Farmers knew that much was out of their hands. They could prepare the soil and plant seeds, but they couldn't make it rain or shine. Even with hard work, they were still at the mercy of drought, storms, pests, and other things they couldn't control. Giving God the first fruits was more than a financial act—it was a statement of faith. Before knowing how big the harvest would be, God's people were asked to remember where it came from. Their offering said, "Lord, this came from You, and I rely on You with what comes next."

That old wisdom still speaks to us today because we're often tempted to think we're completely self-made. We look at our jobs, homes, bank accounts, education, talents, and families and start to believe, "I built this. I earned this." Of course, hard work, discipline, education, sacrifice, and wise choices matter. The Bible doesn't say otherwise. But wisdom reminds us that even our ability to work, learn, lead, and create is a gift. We didn't create our own lives or every opportunity we've had. We can't control everything around us. There's a difference between using our God-given abilities well and thinking we're the source of all the good in our lives. When we honor God with what we have, we let go of self-reliance and remember we're not owners, but stewards of what God has given us.

We see this same wisdom in the New Testament in 1 Peter 4:10–11: "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." I appreciate how Peter's words broaden our view of stewardship. He doesn't limit it to money or possessions. Instead, he talks about the "manifold grace of God," meaning the many ways God's grace shows up in our lives. Some people can teach, lead, organize, fix things, encourage, listen, create, cook, care, welcome, pray, or serve quietly without needing attention. Some have money to share; others have time. Some offer years of experience and wisdom, while others offer new ideas and energy. All these gifts matter when we give them to God. Peter's message is simple: whatever gift you have, use it to serve others.

This is also where grace comes into our talk about stewardship. Being a good steward doesn't mean every Christian has the same resources, abilities, or opportunities at all times. God doesn't ask you to manage what He's given to someone else—He asks you to offer what He's given to you. The widow Jesus noticed didn't have the wealth of others, but her gift still mattered to God. In the same way, there will be times when you have more time to give, and times when your responsibilities take up almost every hour. Sometimes you'll have extra money, and other times just paying the bills is hard. There will be seasons when you can lead, and seasons when your best gift is quietly encouraging someone else. Stewardship isn't a competition. Generosity isn't about comparing ourselves to others. Wisdom asks us: What has God put in my hands, and how can I use it efficiently for His glory and to help others?

Peter goes on to remind us that even the strength to serve comes from God: "Whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ." This is an important lesson for those of us who are used to serving, leading, caring for others, and always saying yes. Sometimes we get so focused on doing good that we try to keep it going with our own strength. Over time, we get tired, lose our joy, and serving feels like a burden. We might even start to feel resentful. This is what burnout looks like. Peter reminds us that real, lasting generosity means knowing that God not only receives our gifts but also gives us the energy, grace, and resources to give. We serve because God gives to us first. We love because God loves us first. We offer what we have because God first put it in our hands.

This idea fits well with our Wesleyan tradition. John Wesley knew that money and things aren’t bad by themselves, but he also saw the danger when wealth isn't guided by wisdom. He summed up his teaching in three simple rules: gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can. Wesley wasn’t saying wealth is good just for its own sake. He wanted Christians to work honestly, live wisely, avoid waste, and be very generous. He knew that if we hold on too tightly to what we have, it can become an idol. But if we give it to God, those same resources can help others. Whenever guided by wisdom, wealth can feed the hungry, teach a child, provide shelter, support a ministry, help a family in need, create opportunities, and bring hope. The real question isn’t just if we have resources, but if our resources have us.

This wisdom goes way beyond our finances. Think about what happens when we see our whole lives as something God has trusted us with. A business owner or manager can see leadership not simply as power, but as a chance to treat employees with respect and kindness. Parents can see all the time spent teaching, listening, encouraging, and just being there as stewardship for the next generation. Retirees can share their experience and wisdom with those just starting out. Young people can bring energy, creativity, and new ideas to the church. Even if you never want to preach, you can still make a difference through hospitality, administration, music, maintenance, prayer, encouragement, or simply noticing someone who could be overlooked. Wisdom shows us that no gift is meaningless when we offer it to God.

This same idea forms our church life. Planning, budgets, communication, technology, organization, leadership, and good decisions all matter, and using them well is part of good stewardship. The problem comes when we trust these tools more than we trust God. The church isn't meant to survive just because we have the right programs, strategies, or technology. Our life comes from God's grace and the Holy Spirit. So our plans should be given to God, not take His place. When we do that, the church becomes a fellowship where everyone's gifts work together. Someone who gives money stands with someone who offers physical help. Leaders stand with those who pray. Musicians, teachers, cooks, administrators, encouragers, volunteers, visitors, children, retirees, and new members all become part of the wonderful "manifold grace of God" at work in the church.

As we continue this process of Generous Living, wisdom might start with remembering who we belong to and where everything we have comes from. Where have we started relying only on ourselves? Where have we mixed up stewardship and ownership? Where have we looked at others' gifts and thought ours are too small to matter? Where might God be asking us to let go of something He never meant for us to keep solely for ourselves? Honor God with your first fruits, but remember that means more than money. Honor Him with your time, talents, leadership, experience, creativity, compassion, influence, resources, and your willingness to serve. Whatever gift you have, use it well, and remember that God gives you the strength to do it.

When wealth isn't guided by wisdom, it can make us think we don't need anyone else. But when we use our resources with God's wisdom, they become ways for His grace to reach others. That's what generous living is all about. We don't give because God needs something from us. We give because everything we have came from Him. Our generosity shows our gratitude, our stewardship becomes worship, and our daily lives become offerings to the One who gave everything for us. Let's live with open hands, thankful hearts, and a willingness to serve, trusting God to provide what we need and using what He gives us well. As we do, may our lives become a living song of praise that points to the grace, goodness, and glory of Jesus Christ.