Proverbs 28:20 (ESV)
A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
The contrast between the first line of the above proverb and the second line is important. Solomon is giving us a comparison between the person who has blessings (implied they are from God and are good and worthy) and the person who seemingly only has wealth (implied has some defect either in the earning of it or in the use of it). What Solomon is telling us is that character toward God and man (being faithful in spiritual matters toward God and/or faithful in relationships with man) matter much more than someone who can or has accumulated wealth. The accumulation of wealth in haste is often mentioned by Solomon and, often, mentioned in a negative light. Note:
Proverbs 19:2 (ESV)
Desire without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
Proverbs 20:21 (ESV)
An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
We have a real bent in our society to accumulate wealth. We like to do it in ways that, often, lack character. We pay special attention to athletes and entertainers who often accumulate money very fast. Solomon is telling us that money gained in haste, without character, will not come without its punishment. But the one who is faithful is blessed. Solomon doesn't distinguish for us what they are faithful to, however. It would be wise to consider blessings come to him who is faithful in his commitment and worship of God and at the same time someone who is faithful in regard to the commitments and responsibilities they have toward God. That type of faithfulness can't help but be blessed. When we are faithful to both God above and to man along side we will be treated by both in kindness and mercy. That is a special blessing.
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