“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22

I read this proverb this morning and wondered. What does it mean? How does it apply to my life? How do I see it in the world around me? Two things that happened this week made me think more and more.

The first thing occurred at work. For me, the patients treated under the hospice care are names and numbers. I don’t ever see them. I might hear a few things about them. Occasionally, I do speak to one on the phone. But when one of them dies, it means very little. This past week, several patients died. One afternoon I got a call from our social worker.

“Melissa,” she asks, “Mr. Pope did die this week, right?”

I agreed that he had. After all, I tore down his chart. I billed Medicare one last bill for him. I even read the bulletin from his funeral service that the nurse brought in and heard her speak about what a beautiful service it was. In fact, the man had blessed my life for as I read the testimony in the bulletin, I knew one of God’s own now enjoyed a heavenly reward.

“Why do you ask?” I replied.

“Well…I just spoke to Mrs. Pope. She seemed so-so happy.”

Now, I don’t know our social worker’s “religious beliefs”, but I thought to myself why shouldn’t Mrs. Pope be happy? Her husband is in Heaven. One day she will see him again. Now, I do not doubt she will have long nights, lonely hours and many tears in the days, months and even years to come. Sorrow mixed with blessing.

The second thing is a friend from camp. Although nearly nine years younger than me, Anna is one of my favorite friends and I love her dearly – all that in the mere five months I have been around her. This past spring, she lost her father in a tragic car accident. I didn’t know what to say then. I don’t know what to say now. But I write her long e-mails, pray for her often, and cry with aching heart over her loss. Yet in spite of all this, I know she is growing in her God. She is being blessed – with sorrow.

I think back on the trials my life has thrown at me. Some so painful I cried myself sick, shut myself off from as much of the world as I could, and shouted whenever alone. But when I look back at those days, I don’t think I would trade them. I see some of what God has made from them – roses from ashes. So many blessings. Yet so many sorrows.

So what does Proverbs 10:22 mean? Matthew Henry indicates that mankind chases after wealth only to find man’s source of wealth and comfort in it is full of sorrow. That is true. Some of the wealthiest men in the world are some of the saddest. They would trade every cent they own for one moment of pure joy. But God’s wealth never brings that sort of sorrow. It brings freedom and joy. More importantly, God’s wealth isn’t often monetary – it’s spiritual and everlasting.

This verse is only one of the hundreds Proverbs contains. They are short and “pithy”, but full of more meaning than you can contemplate in a lifetime. For the truth is life contains sorrow. No one can escape it. But for the Christian, that sorrow somehow brings blessing. We may not see it - we who see through a glass darkly. But one day all sorrow will come to an end. No more tears. No more trials. Pure blessedness. True wealth.

Oh, glorious day!