Week of August 11
Proverbs 11
Opener
- Grab your phone and open your credit-card or debit-card app. Besides grocery stores, drug stores, etc. what store pops up most frequently on your statement? What does that say about you?
Discussion
Proverbs 11 gives us wisdom on how to build wealth, enjoy wealth, and give away wealth while avoiding the pitfalls that come with wealth.
- Read Proverbs 11:1-3. What’s one way you’ve been tempted to use “dishonest scales” in the past to make or save money? How have you been tempted to cheat the system, the government, or other people?
- Read Proverbs 11:4. Wealth sidetracks us from the most important things in life, like eternal life and final judgment, our relationship with God, and our relationships with the people we love most.
- When has money tempted you to be reckless (Prov 21:5)
- When has money tempted you to be over-busy (Prov 23:4-5)?
- When has money tempted you to be arrogant (Prov 30:8-9)?
- Read Proverbs 11:28. What are some real-life indicators that we’re trusting wealth more than God? Why is it so easy to trust money more than God?
- Read Proverbs 11:24-25. How have you seen God show generosity to you in response to your generosity toward him and others around you?
Action Step
- 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 says, “The one who provides seed for the sower, and bread for food, will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” What’s one step you can take this week to be generous and scatter more seed, trusting God to provide and multiply?