Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

  • 1 Timothy 6:17 (KJV)

It can be easy when you have obtained a little wealth in this world to esteem yourself more highly than you ought to think. This temptation is not new Israel faced the same warning from God in Deuteronomy 8:17, cautioned not to think their own hand had gotten them all their wealth. When we strive and strain to obtain enough for our daily needs, we can easily connect our rewards with our own efforts, forgetting the true source of our provision.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy addresses this human tendency directly. God tells us that the rich should not be highminded, and then he emphasises a crucial point for the wealthy to ponder: Where is your trust: riches or God?

The Uncertainty of Earthly Wealth

Riches can be fleeting; they can be uncertain. Markets may change, governments and taxation may shift, costs may increase, and sales might decrease. The very nature of worldly wealth is its instability. What seems secure today may vanish tomorrow through circumstances completely beyond our control.

Our hope shouldn’t be placed in riches, but rather in God who gives us far more than what riches alone can provide. While wealth might promise security, it often delivers the opposite: anxiety about losing our status, our possessions, our position. We may struggle to enjoy what we have because of our constant worry about losing it.

God’s Abundant Provision

Yet Scripture reveals a different way. God supplies all our desires and needs and provides them in abundance. Whether we are rich, poor, or somewhere in the middle, God can enable us to enjoy the fruit of our earnings in such a way that there is no lack or need for want.

The key lies not in the amount we possess, but in where we place our trust. When our confidence rests in “the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy,” we can experience true contentment and peace, regardless of our material circumstances.

A Heart Check

Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 6:17 call us to examine our hearts. Are we highminded because of our wealth? Do we credit our own efforts for our success? Most importantly, where does our ultimate trust lie?

The living God offers something that uncertain riches never can: unwavering faithfulness, eternal security, and the ability to truly enjoy His gifts without the crushing weight of anxiety. In Him, we find not just provision for our needs, but abundance that satisfies the soul.

As we reflect on this passage, may we remember that every good gift comes from above, and may our trust rest not in the uncertainty of riches, but in the certainty of our faithful God.