Proverbs 28:22

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about gaining wealth:

Proverbs 28:22 (NASV)

A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.

Proverbs 28:22 (ESV)

A stingy man hastens after wealth

and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

 In the New Testament Jesus tells His disciples about the "evil eye." In His message we call The Sermon on the Mount, we are told that the eye is the "lamp of the body" (Matthew 6:22). Christ wants them to see that they eye is the focus of the heart. The eye is directed by the heart. That makes the eye the window to the heart. The eye is the camera that is directed by the producer of the heart. That Producer is either the LORD or SIN (Romans 6). In the proverb above we see that the Producer is Sin and is directing the camera of the eye to seek after wealth. However, the man who seeks wealth with a poor heart (evil Producer) doesn't really see that as he pursues wealth (in evil want), eventually "want" will come after him. The ESV uses the word "stingy" to describe this man.   His evil eye does craves only for himself to accumulate wealth.   Even though he pursues want" and "wants" wealth (never giving to others) he will end up wanting more. This proverb is the opposite of Psalm 23:6. That last verse of that great Psalm says the "goodness and mercy" will follow us ... as we follow the great Shepherd. So, here we have our contrast. Follow THE Shepherd and we will be pursued by goodness and mercy. Seek after wealth and we will be pursued by want. Life is that simply. If your eye is on Christ we will be sought by goodness. If our eye is on wealth we will be sought by want. Where is your eye?  A heart that covets something other than God will find that they will end up in poverty of spirit.   Wealth can blind you to the need we have for God to be on the throne of our lives.   We must continue to seek Him and in seeking Him our eyes will see the needs of others and be wiling to give to them.  When we don't, we become people of poverty ourselves.   We are poor in mercy and lacking grace.