Or, ‘How To Get Rich (By Being Blessed)‘
We’re already so into AI that the temptation to stop writing off the top of our heads, in favor of said online tools. But I guess there lies one of its flaws – well, for the majority of prominent AI that we know, it’s all online… so far. Personally, I’ve tried installing a local AI independent of the internet, and have had limited success so far.
There’s still so much benefit from writing. I’m reminded today, just as I’m reminded of why I work out – to let the stress out, and to fine-tune my energy. I know I haven’t been consistent in doing so, especially ever since I started working again, but I see how both exercise and writing ought to be at the very first part of my day (up there with stretching, reading the Bible and praying): Simply because the rest of the day is better after these routine.
Now, though, I’m being brought to write, and not to jump right into AI, for another reason: I want to do something I’ve wanted to do for the longest time, and that is, to go through Naval Ravikant’s 2018 ‘tweetstorm’ (which is still up and live as a pinned tweet in his X/Twitter Account) – the one that starts off with the hook, ‘How To Get Rich (Without Getting Lucky):’
Naval starts off by telling us to seek wealth, differentiating it from money or status – and the distinct difference between wealth and money is that money is just that, wealth is in the form of assets that would have us earning money while we sleep. Status is where we are in the social hierarchy, while I understand that wealth is what we make (awake, or asleep) within the said social hierarchy.
Going through this, I’m reminded of Solomon’s choice in the Bible. God offered him wealth, power, or long life… and whether ‘wealth’ here was interpreted as money and/or how Naval defines it today doesn’t really matter, because David’s son and heir did not pick from any of the three, instead choosing wisdom and understanding:
And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 1 Kings 3:6-9
And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. 9 O LORD God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” 2 Chronicles 1:8-10
We need to note of what Solomon said before and after his choice. Before saying he wanted wisdom, he acknowledged (1) God’s love for David, his father, (2) his own limitations (I am but a little child, I do not know how to go out or come in), and (3) the sheer number of people he has been given authority over. Humility precedes wisdom.
Also, he chose wisdom and understanding and I am assuming it’s not merely for his sake (that I may discern between good and evil), but, again, for the people – and I’m also assuming he could have easily called them ‘my’ people; No, he calls them ‘great people’ but more importantly, he says ‘this people of Yours‘ – He knows they are the Lord’s. We seek wisdom, therefore, for the sake of those under our charge… for they are the Lord’s.
As a result the Scripture says in both accounts that as a result God chose to give wealth, power AND long life to Solomon because of his decision.
Solomon knew his place, knowing God’s infinite glory and goodness, knowing his own limitations, and knowing the vastness of his responsibility… And I suppose that since he asked for wisdom and understanding for the sake of the people, and knowing that they are all the Lord’s, that’s probably why God also entrusted him with power, wealth and long life.
So as Christians, before we seek wealth and NOT (note: ‘NOT’, and not ‘BEFORE’) money or status, we ought to seek the Lord. Trusting in Him humbles us, and has us understand that wealth, money, status, power, and so on come from Him, and they are His.
Trusting in Him has us seeking the welfare of our brethren more than ourselves.
Trusting in Him opens our eyes to seeking wisdom and understanding, above all else.
Again, wealth is not the end goal. Take note that even wisdom isn’t the end goal – no, for us in the body of Christ, we seeking the Lord is the end goal, just as much as we seek first the Kingdom of God. I mean, it makes sense in that Christ is, indeed, the Beginning and the End. The Proverbs (which Solomon also wrote) say we’re to acknowledge Him in our plans and before we make our pursuits, just as much as at the end of the day, no matter how things turn out, we preach that there is always going to be a reason to praise Him.
I mentioned earlier about how Solomon was, at the least, significantly aware of his own limitations. ‘Secretly (despising) wealth’ is also being aware of the limitations of wealth (and again, not merely money, but wealth) – BUT we’re not here to say that we should spurn it, much less spurn our own selves. Knowing our place, and knowing the function of wealth is not the same as despising it. I think knowing ourselves for who we are, and knowing wealth for what it is – that’s a very vital step towards our approaching ‘ethical’ wealth creation, backed primarily by wisdom and understanding.
I think I’ll stop here for now, as I am pretty hungry. Just wanted to set some expectations (mostly for myself) that I need to get this done before I go ahead and delve into my other personal projects. I need to proceed with a healthy dose of wisdom, and I am thanking the Lord for this process.
Until the next post, may the Lord continue to bless us. These are exciting times to be alive!
227645/365000
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
Leave a comment