It’s better to be poor.
It is wrong to seek money so that you can spend it on your pleasures. You should be content with what you already have. And having food and clothing is enough. David, who always did what God wanted him to, was poor and needy. So being poor must be something God wants people to do. Nebuchadnezzar forced most of the people of Judah out of their land, but the poorest people got to stay.
Those who trust in their riches are not righteous, and they will not continue to thrive. The rich occupy low positions. So don’t set your heart on your riches. If you want to get rich, you will be ruined. And if you do get rich, you will disown God!
Don’t hoard wealth. That’s unforgivable. If you do, you will bring harm on yourself. You will lose it all and be tortured and killed. It is much better to fear God and have wisdom, knowledge, righteousness, and a good reputation than to have gold and silver. Which means you have to choose between them, apparently, or else there would be no point in comparing them like that. So don’t store up treasures on earth, only in heaven.
If you’re rich, God will demand a lot more from you. To be perfect and to have eternal life and lasting treasure in heaven, you have to get rid of everything you own. You can’t be a Christian unless you give up everything you have. Worldly wealth will prevent you from getting into the kingdom of God, at least without divine intervention.
God doesn’t feed rich people, and if you’re rich, people won’t be allowed to give you gifts. But if you’re poor, people won’t be allowed to deny you justice. If they do, God will defend you to the death.
Everyone will be legally required to be generous to you if you’re poor. Christians definitely won’t treat you worse if you’re poor, but they might have something against you if you’re rich. Christians only invite poor people to their banquets, not rich people. Poor people get free food! People who don’t give the poor whatever they want deserve to lose an arm!
It’s better to be rich.
Gaining wealth is a good thing, and losing wealth is a bad thing. Being rich makes you much more popular. If you use your wealth to honor God, you will be rewarded with more wealth. But if you use your wealth to gain friends for yourself, you will be rewarded with eternal life! Only people who are good with money will be rewarded in the afterlife. Money is the answer for everything.
Wealth comes from God. It’s a reward for trusting, fearing, and obeying him and doing good. Being righteous and wise will make you get rich and stay rich. Abraham, who always did what God wanted him to do, was wealthy. So being rich must be something God wants people to do.
Being poor is a bad thing. The poor are foolish, and don’t know the way of the Lord. You will not be poor if you are righteous. Being poor makes you vulnerable, forces you to steal, and makes everyone shun you.
If you’re rich, people won’t be allowed to curse you, or to be biased against you. But if you’re poor, you won’t get any mercy from the rich. Only the poor are at risk of being punished with slavery under God’s law. Jesus will solve all your problems for you, unless you’re poor. Then he’ll just tell you “good news”.