Now you’re talking…enjoying the fruit of labor and being prosperous. But before you get too excited and start looking at possibilities that are not promised, let’s look at what the Psalmist is actually saying.
As a farmer enjoys the fruit of his or her labor, they reap the harvest that they have planted. Nowhere in the Bible is there a promise of financial prosperity and abundance of physical wealth. I myself have wanted to see that promise and prepare myself for those rewards. Especially when I found myself with a few dollars in the bank, a room to live in as provided by a friend and no prospect for work. Believe me I was ready, willing and able to accept the physical and financial prosperity that I would find in the pages of the Bible. There was no such promise. Believe it or not, there was something much more valuable that I found. I found God’s provisions for me.
The challenge is to see wealth, riches, success and abundance, versus necessities, requirements and enough. There are people, including followers of Christ, who have been blessed big by physical wealth and possessions. They are responsible to the Lord as to how they use their riches for the glory of God. But to be consumed by misperceived notions that God says that when you follow all His ways, you will be monetarily wealthy…I believe is damaging to you.
Unless you are a farmer, the fruit of your labor isn’t necessarily actual fruit. The fruit of your labor in the workforce is your paycheck. Now depending on choices you have made, that paycheck can be a step to prosperity, or can be a step in the opposite direction.
I remember as a kid I had chores to do. They included cleaning up after the dog and burying it out in what dad called our back 40. It was about a 10 foot by 20 foot garden area. Once a week I would clean up after the dog, then mow the lawn and put the clippings out by the back fence. My sister and I also had to do dishes after dinner and I had to keep my room clean. During the fall I had to rake leaves too. For my efforts I received $3.50 a week. That was the fruit of my labor and to a kid that was riches! I really didn’t enjoy the work, but I really enjoyed getting my allowance. My parents loved me to a point of asking me to be responsible for certain jobs or chores, and in return I got paid!
God says He loves us so much that He provides. Some of you might be asking, what does He provide? That would open the door for me to sarcastically say…well how about air to breathe for one, water to sustain life. Okay, enough of my sarcasm, but the elements of life are here on the earth that He created! In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus is teaching about how valuable we are to God. And we shouldn’t worry about the necessities of life. Verse 25 starts off with Jesus saying;
"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
So our joy and prosperity comes from having what we need and that comes from the Father. Enjoy the fruit of your labor. In Colossians 3 we are told to dedicate our labor, whatever that is, to the Lord. Verses 23 and 24 say: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”
That inheritance is much much better than any allowance you or I may have received. You’ll be surprised how different you will feel at work. I know I was! Whether you currently work for an employer you don’t respect or have all the admiration in the world for, or you are self employed, we are instructed to take the hours we are at work and turn them over to the Master we are truly serving and let Him work through us. I believe that will bring true joy into your life. The pit of the fruit will be much smaller…and the fruit will be that much sweeter.
In Psalm 34 David sings about how to live a life that is long and prosperous. Verse 12 starts out asking the question:
Does anyone want to live a life
that is long and prosperous?
Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies!
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The true prosperity you will receive by living Christ like will be the joy God puts in your heart. That will be your wealth. Allow His love to flood every part of you.
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