Your Words Are Tools

I honestly cannot overlook the online trend pushing that the Bible is not balanced. The argument has been that the tongue can be powerful enough to stand against people when they sing that they are broke, but it does not work when they sing ‘chill in my Maserati.’

That this question even arises is simply a sign that there is a knowledge gap somewhere. Some things need to be clearly understood. 

Can I tell you something?

If people sang ‘chill in my Maserati’ before Adam fell, who knows, they might have miraculously found themselves in a Maserati of their favorite model and color.

Yeah, I know, there wasn’t even a means of transportation then.

But here’s what I am saying:

Your words are tools, and a lot of factors, including the universe and the elements of nature, use your words to produce results for you.

But do you know something else?

The World Is Fallen

The world is currently in its fallen state. It is now automatically wired to work against man and his endeavors because man lost his dominion to the devil, who is currently the prince of the power of the air. So, the earth has now been configured to naturally use your words (mostly) against you.

This fall is why animals became wild, devouring humans, and man had to till the ground in sweat to eat the earth’s good. It is also the reason you are quick to imbibe bad habits but will need intense discipline to even start the good ones. It is also why you don’t simply ‘pluck money from trees’; you work for it.

Do you see?

Let’s look at the Bible:

And unto Adam, he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Gen 3:17-19 KJV

Note that this wasn’t God punishing Adam for disobedience, as we sometimes interpret it to be. Instead, this was Adam bearing the consequences of his action. It is just the same way you don’t say a judge is punishing a criminal but that the criminal is serving the consequences of his offense.

Also, note that God didn’t just mean tilling as farming and producing substance. So yes, it covers that, but it is not literally that. Or could this be obtainable with farmers alone?

But thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee…in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread… means that man would have to work against the new setting of the world to enjoy good things (including food and material wealth).

It also means that the natural setting of the earth is to bring thorns and thistles into man: hardship and pain, bitterness and suffering.

Stay with me.

Do you now see why poverty would come upon you when you continually confess that you are broke? And that Maserati won’t just appear in your backyard even if you sing it a million times? The earth is no longer wired to bring you good!

But am I saying that we should all go and suffer since the earth can no longer produce good on its own accord?

God forbid!

We can still eat the good of the earth – in abundance!

Two Ways to Bring Good Out of the Earth

The earth has been corrupted, now ruled by that which would not see the prosperity of men, true. But you can get the earth to produce bread (good) for you through sweat.

Your Sweat

Yes, you can hustle around and get the earth to do you good. Put in all the hard work, and watch it give what is due to you. So, while you’re working at your skills and career and earning the bag, you can be singing ‘chill in my Maserati’ as you walk to the car dealer with your cool cash, and you’ll be going home with one.

I hope you remember that Maserati is just a figure for the good things of life.

And of course, you’ll keep working hard, so you won’t go broke.

A Higher Sweat

That’s right, you can lean on a force higher than the elements to overcome the effects of the fall. As a child of God, you simply lean on what Jesus has done to counter the effects of corruption in the world.

And hey, Jesus did not only sweat for you to eat the good of the earth. He shed blood too! That means those who believe in Him have the platform to enjoy even better things than their sweat can give them.

Only by believing in Jesus can you confess that you have the good things of life, and they come to you on their accord because He has passed out sweat for it. The earth, coming under the authority of Christ in your life, will certainly yield to you as you confess in faith.

Does this set off alarms in your head?

It should.

Since the earth now obeys your command, it certainly would listen when you keep singing that you’re broke!

Do you get it?

And who says a believer won’t work? Of course, you will, but you’ll do so leaning on the greatness Jesus’s sweat (and blood) can yield!

Selah!