Are the bad guys winning? Be content, part II

Last week, we studied Psalm 37 and talked about how to submit to God and be content when it seems that the wicked are prospering (and that we, perhaps, are not!).  We refreshed our memories of God's promises: that He will take care of the vengeance end of things, and that in His timing, all will be made right. We'll have eternity to rejoice in His presence!

Let's look at our next focus passage:

Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth of many wicked;
 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.

The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
    and their inheritance will endure forever.
 In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

 But the wicked will perish:
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;
 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses will be destroyed.

The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
    or their children begging bread.
 They are always generous and lend freely;
    their children will be a blessing.

David is telling us here to be content that (as my grandma used to say) "the Lord will provide." Sometimes it's not just that we look over at the wicked and feel put upon. That can definitely happen, as they pull out of their driveway with their luxury-loaded pick up truck and pull their super-fancy boat to the lake. Sometimes we see the rich and famous and we know that they got their wealth and power the wrong way - they lied and cheated and hurt people as they climbed to the top. It's easy to feel put upon. To be bummed out. To feel a little sad.

Sometimes, though, personal injustice actually hits us in the wallet. Sometimes when we refuse to go along with evildoers, it means less money for us. It can mean a loss of income; it can mean a loss of our job. They can be painful, but there are lessons to be learned . . . . 

First, the Lord will provide for our needs -- and those needs may be less than we think. We may only have a little, but it will be enough. We may fall, but we won't totally fail: "though he may stumble, he will not fall." (verse 24)  Two verses in our passage mention that God will uphold us; He will sustain us. I think that sometimes God has to take away a few of our "things" to reveal to us how much we take pleasure in them - and not in Him. We need to learn with our hearts as well as our minds, that if we have food and covering, we can be content as long as we have our Savior.

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (I Timothy 6:8-9)

Secondly, if we expect the Lord to provide, we have to show it by trusting Him and giving. David has already told us that the Lord will sustain the righteous . . . if we keep reading, we discover that the righteous are marked by generosity. Check out those verses: "the righteous give generously," and they "lend freely." To claim God's promises to the righteous, we must try to be an example of righteousness. We must give freely as our Savior did.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

If we are walking uprightly before God, and we are being generous to others and to support God's work, we are fulfilling the measure of the verse above. If someone cheats us out of money, or if we lose our job, or suffer a financial setback, we can be content that God will provide for our needs. He is not asleep. He is not blind to what is going on. He sees. We must keep walking uprightly, keep being generous, and keep trusting in Him. He will take care of our needs and our families' needs. 

So, when it looks like the bad guys are winning, be content in God.