“The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.”
In my decades of youth ministry, I’ve been in a lot of homes. Some belonged to families from the private schools in our area and reflected tremendous wealth. Others belonged to families of young people involved in our ministry at schools where 100% of the students qualified for free or reduced lunches. Some of those homes had tarps covering holes in the roofs and furniture pushed up against the walls to try to block holes in them. There is no question that Solomon is painting a picture of his incredible wealth and the splendor of his kingdom, palace, and various residences and buildings. But there is a more powerful lesson here: Those who love God, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have a tremendous gift to offer anyone who walks into their homes—or at least, they should. The home of a believer should greet guests with a sense of peace and calm, as well as warmth, kindness, and love, regardless of what is or isn’t hanging on the walls or whether there is a hole in the roof. God’s Spirit in a home is unmistakable to a believer. You can sense it. It’s not just the Bible sitting on the mantel or even lying open on the dining table. It is a supernatural presence that lives in those who belong to God and spills over into every area of their lives as they walk in intimacy and closeness with Him. The fruit of the Spirit is not meant to be hoarded inside a believer; it is meant to be shared beyond the believer. The salt and light we represent as followers of Jesus cannot be contained. Instead, they spill over into the lives of everyone we encounter. Today let your home—and, even more importantly, your life—be a treasure to those in your presence. #BeTheEdge
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 NIV
