Biblical Business Radical: Inherit the Land

You don’t have to look too far to find the “prosperity gospel.” It’s the belief that God promises and delivers prosperity to His people, from His abundant love and desire to give His children the best things. You can find verses that sound like this. In the Beatitudes, Christ says, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5.5).

 

In this verse, Christ is quoting Psalm 37.11—“But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” How cruel this may have sounded to His audience at the time, who were humbly waiting for God to fulfill His promises. True, they were living in the land of their forefathers but it wasn’t theirs to fully own or govern. We too might be wondering when our labor will be rewarded. How long must I serve others—even those who don’t appreciate it—before I am promoted or see a pay increase? Maybe I should take matters into my own hands. (Quoted from Jesus on Monday Morning, volume 1)

 

You might be tempted to shout, “You tell ‘im, Jeremiah!” Because Jeremiah just delivered a message of woe—a call to become pure in heart, no idols, consecrated and dedicated hearts—he complains to YHWH, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, how completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace’ when the sword is at our throats [souls, very lives]!” (Jeremiah 4.10) 

 

In order to experience the promise, we are told to soften our hearts, be humble. Jeremiah 4.3–just before Jeremiah’s complaint—and Hosea 10.12 use the imagery of unplowed ground, a hard surface in which seed nor water can penetrate. It’s a call to God’s people to not be hard hearted. We need to be softened so that the seed can be planted. Jeremiah (and Christ) also warn not to sow the seed among the thorns, which Christ teaches His disciples to understand this as sharing God’s promise with those so enamored or worried about the same things as unbelievers. These people seek riches. The good news gets choked out. Instead, Hosea asks us to sow righteousness (and God will shower righteousness on us). When we do this, we will reap unfailing love. (The Word through Jeremiah is one of punishment if we don’t soften our hearts and sow righteousness.) 

 

If we think we’re so good, so moral, so blessed that we ignore opportunities of showing righteousness and love to others and humbly learning from God, then we are just like unplowed ground. If we break our routines, values, goals into smithereens, we can jettison what the world would advise us to do. We can stop worshipping business idols and currying favor or emulating the ones we think are best. We can be humble, admitting we are only so talented, so lucky, so connected, so courageous that the fruits of our labors are enough. We don’t need to “prosper” more. We can receive the seed of righteousness and the Living Water, so our land grows abundant crops/fruit of love, peace, joy. Enough to feed ourselves, our family, our friends, our neighbors and share the rest in the marketplace.