Here at the end of the summer a healthy crop of tomatoes hangs from my vines. I’m not a great grower of tomatoes, so when they ripen I celebrate. I enjoy eating the fruit of my labor.

The Scriptures promise the fruit of labor to followers of the Lord, like this assurance from Psalms:

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

A gratifying life emerges for the one who lives in awe of the Lord, who respects and observes his commands. While never problem-free, God’s favor and protection mark their years, and material goods fall into their laps.

I think of prosperity in material terms, and the Scriptures carry similar intent. Following the ways of the Lord over a lifetime often yields tangible financial benefits. I don’t usually consider this idea (I’ve seen too many leaders abuse religion to make themselves rich), but the Lord clears a path to prosperity—both for you and your household.

Popular opinion paints the Bible as little more than a screed for closed-mindedness and self-denial. But that’s not true at all. Follow the Lord as best you can, day after day, in large decisions and small, and don’t be surprised when prosperity follows.

Psalm 128 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Andrea Riezzo