Better a Little

As I was reading the Word today, I realized there is a great nugget of wisdom in the phrase, "Better a little." So I did some digging for that phrase and others like it, and I was enriched by what I discovered.  I found the following passages, which I hope will make you wealthy also.

"Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it." (Pro 15:16)

"Better is a dish of vegetables where love is Than a fattened ox served with hatred." (Pro 15:17)

"Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice." (Pro 16:8)

"Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked." (Psa 37:16)

"Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant Than he who honors himself and lacks bread." (Pro 12:9)

"Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife." (Pro 17:1)

"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked though he be rich." (Pro 28:6)

"Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool." (Pro 19:1)

“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” (Ecc 4:6)

“Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,” (Pro 30:8)

"If you find honey, eat just enough-- too much of it, and you will vomit." (Pr 25:16)

I think the same could be said of money in that too much of it is not good for you and can cause many griefs.

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1Ti 6:10)

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’" (Heb 13:5)

“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psa 84:10)

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Mat 19:21)

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Mar 10:21)

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Luk 18:22)

"Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luk 12:33-34)

"And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Mat 13:22)

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Mat 6:24)

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."(Luk 16:13)

I hope you will choose the better way with a little and yet having great treasure in heaven.

No Greater Thing Than Knowing Jesus
There is no greater thing than knowing Jesus! The apostle Paul counted everything else a loss compared to knowing Him.  In fact, he said he considered it all rubbish, so that he could gain Christ.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ," (Php 3:7-8)

As the song, Above All, says, the Lord Jesus is "above all wealth and treasures of the earth.  There's no way to measure" what He's worth. If we really truly knew how awesome and wonderful Jesus is, we would consider Him greater than anything or anyone else in this world.

I'd Rather Have Jesus 
Allow me to share with you the lyrics to this great old song written by Rhea F. Miller in 1922:

    I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
    I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
    I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
    I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

        Refrain:
        Than to be the king of a vast domain
        Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
        I’d rather have Jesus than anything
        This world affords today.

    I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
    I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
    I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
    I’d rather be true to His holy name

    He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
    He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
    He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
    I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead


Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel? and the other posts in this blog available through the Main Directory. You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.