13 “This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty.
14 “Though his sons are many, [i]they are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
15 “His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And [j]their widows will not be able to weep.
16 “Though he piles up silver like dust
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, but the just will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 “He has built his house like the [k]spider’s web,
Or as a hut which the watchman has made.
19 “He lies down rich, but never [l]again;
He opens his eyes, and it is no longer.
20 “Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21 “The east wind carries him away, and he is gone,
For it whirls him away from his place.
22 “For it will hurl at him without sparing;
He will surely try to flee from its [m]power.
23 “Men will clap their hands at him
And will hiss him from his place.
This passage is a reminder that we should not put our hopes in earthly things. That doesn’t let you off the hook for properly managing your earthly possessions, since everything you “own” is a gift from God that you are merely managing. But it does mean we need to be very careful about where we put our trust, and in what we put our trust.
As Job comments, people who don’t know God put their trust in money, their house, and the power they gain. But all of that can be taken away even quicker than it was gained, whether by a sudden “fall from grace” or by death itself.
Why should anyone who knows God put their trust in such things? God is faithful, and will take care of us, even when it seems bleak from an earthly perspective. And if you find yourself in a position to give, do not hold tightly, but allow God to turn your giving into a blessing to provide for someone who finds themselves in dire straights.
We are stewards of all that God has entrusted to us, use it wisely, share it wisely, and know that He holds you in His capable hands. There is nothing in this life that He has not already overcome, and God cares far more for you than the birds or flowers of which Jesus spoke: Not a bird falls to the ground that He doesn’t know, and you are worth far more to Him. Rest easy in that knowledge and put all your trust and hope in Him.