Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Proverbs 23:4-5 

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“I love feeling out of control,” said no one ever—at least not that I am aware of. We long for control, and often, whether consciously or not, we make decisions according to what makes us feel like we have it. At the heart of hoarding our resources is this longing for control. 

And once we start to taste this false control, it can draw us deeper into thinking we do actually have control. The kind of control that, when you think about it, only God truly has. I think that’s where the allure of wealth deceives us. Money and the accumulation of wealth aren’t bad in and of themselves, but if we’re not careful, they give us the illusion of control that we so desperately want. It becomes harder and harder to disentangle ourselves from that falsehood. 

In his book Build the Life You Want, Arthur Brooks tells of an experience in which more than 200 people were divided into three groups. One group was tasked with thinking about doing good for others. Another group was tasked with actually completing an act of good each day, and the last group was tasked with treating themselves. They had to do this daily for 10 days. At the end of the 10 days, the group that completed acts of service for others reported feeling a greater sense of purpose in life. And guess what else? Control! They actually felt more control in their lives. And it wasn’t from hoarding what they had—it was giving away money, time, and resources. 

Perhaps, instead of wearing ourselves out getting rich (see today’s verse), we might want to wear ourselves out doing good for others. Maybe it’s in the giving away that we gain the greater sense of control we long for—that feels a lot like the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God, doesn’t it? 

Next Steps

Do a little self-examination today. How are you doing with control in your life? Are you trying to cling to it with white knuckles? No matter where you find yourself in your relationship with control, living a life of generosity is your solution to releasing that grip. Spend time with God today and see what your next step toward generosity might be. Perhaps it’s something as convenient as buying coffee for the person behind you in the Starbucks drive-thru. Maybe it’s surprising a friend in need with groceries. Consider sharing with a friend what God prompts you to do.