Using Wealth and Influence for the Real Purpose
Updated: Apr 23, 2021
One of the natural consequences of wealth is influence. Influence should be about impact. However, influence has created more problems for people than it has done them good. Instead of benefiting from the course of influence, society has been oppressed by the beneficiaries of wealth. Personal popularity, ego, and fame seem to override God’s intent for wealth. The ignorance of the purpose of wealth could be responsible for these. I used to think that my wealth is all about me.
Many times, Christian entrepreneurs (we) forget the reasons God allows us to handle wealth. Many of us go self-centered and seek undue glorification. This sometimes shows how wretched we are in understanding how well we can reach out to people for a positive impact. Acquisition of wealth is a means to a godly purpose.
Let’s consider a Biblical example of one man that used his wealth and influence for a real purpose.
“When she got up to go back to work, Boaz ordered his servants; Let her gleam where there’s still plenty of grain on the ground, make it easy for her. Better yet, pull some of the good stuff out and leave it for her to glean. Give her special treatment” Ruth 2:15-16 MSG.
The above talks about a man called Boaz, and a young widow called Ruth. In Ruth 2:1, Boaz was introduced as a man of great wealth. This means he had great and abundant possession. He had many servants working for him. His wealth made him influential. At this time in history, Ruth came back from Moab to Judah with Naomi, her mother-in-law. It was the time of harvest. Both had little or nothing to get life going.
Ruth decided to go to the field, to whomsoever would favorably allow her to gather leftover grains for food. Anyway, she had no choice but to take this step of faith. As the Lord would have it, she stepped into the harvest field belonging to a wealthy man, Boaz, and started gleaning the corn that fell from the harvesters (Boaz’s servants) by chance. This act suggests to me that, though these servants were not the custodians of the wealth, they had learned to influence others with the wealth they managed. Those who have excuses for not impacting lives because they don’t control wealth yet must think twice.
In that regard, Jesus has this to say;
“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much…” Luke 16:10 AMP.
Incidentally afterward, Boaz reported to duty, and Ruth was introduced to him. Boaz instructed Ruth not to go to another field to glean but remain in his own. Not just that, Boaz gave her lunch, and she was satisfied. He further commanded his servants to permit Ruth to glean from plenty of grain, where the bundles of sheaves were lying. This was against her picking from careless dropouts. Boaz was intentional in impacting Ruth through his wealth. He said, “Also, let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean and do not rebuke her” (Ruth 2:16 NKJV). Boaz just wanted Ruth to have more than enough. She received special treatment that changed her life. The peak of it all was that Ruth kept gathering grain from Boaz’s field until they completed the harvest (Ruth 2:21). Boaz influenced the lives of Ruth and Naomi.
I ask, how much influence have you made on someone’s life to make him better? How many people have come to you for leftovers (like Ruth) that you helped turn their lives around? You cannot be wealthy to yourself. That is not God’s design. Some people would not even allow dogs to pick crumbs from under their tables. It is a big shame. Such fellows are tending to poverty (Proverbs 11:24). How wealthy you are should be a reflection of the number of people you have impacted their lives. If your wealth or resources cannot influence lives for good, then you are poor. If you were rich, then you would influence people. Imagine how accomplished you will feel having helped someone’s destiny. Take on one person at a time. If you are not yet wealthy, you may be on your way to becoming.
Ruth eventually became the progenitor of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Boaz had no idea he was impacting a woman’s life through whom the wealthiest and most influential man would come. Today, we are all enjoying the benefits of the right influence Boaz created with his wealth. Oh, destiny is beckoning on us today. This is how far-reaching our influence can be.