An Idea Borrowed

Years ago on a radio program someone shared that they read a chapter in Proverbs every day. Since there are 31 chapters and the longest month has 31 days it allows you to read through Proverbs on a regular basis. I use it as the launch pad for my personal worship time and branch out from there. On this blog I will try to share some of the insights I have in the Word. I will try to organize them in the archive by reference.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Economics and Vanity

(Pro 13:11 KJV) Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

I wonder if this could be interpreted as a statement about capitalism?  Much of what we see going on in the world of investments and securities is based on duping the public, fraud.  Many millionaires have generated wealth only on paper, producing nothing.  Real wealth comes from the work of people, not manipulating stock markets.  This would tend to sound like a statement made by a Communist. 

But the contrast is not between working with your hands as opposed to an office job.  The contrast is between “fraud” (1892) and actual gathering.  It is a contrast between actually producing and simply looking like you are producing.  This is the word repeatedly used in Ecclesiastes. 
(Ecc 1:2 KJV) Vanity (1891) of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
When political voices call for the redistribution of wealth they are speaking in terms of vanity.  They want people to have the fruits of gathering without the effort.  Of course you could also condemn those who generate billions by pressing buttons and manipulating stocks.  They also produce nothing.

So?  God expects us to work for our support.  That will generate different results but, as long as the work in honorable and without fraud it can be blessed.