Skip to main content

The Unholy Reward: When We Mistake Wealth for God's Favor

There is a dangerous gospel being preached across Kenya — not always from pulpits, but from the streets, the offices, and the minds of many who consider themselves devout Christians. It is a gospel that says: if you are wealthy, God must be pleased with you. If you are poor, you must be doing something wrong. If you’re struggling, you must lack faith. And if you’re rich, it’s because God is smiling down on your choices.

This is the unholy reward — the lie that material wealth is a measure of spiritual approval.

It is a pandemic of belief. You hear it in testimonies that focus less on transformation of character and more on bank balances. You see it in social media posts that equate Range Rovers with righteousness. You encounter it in churches where the wealthy sit in the front and the poor are advised to “sow seeds” they cannot afford — just to get God’s attention.

“Blessed” — but What Does That Mean?

In Kenya today, the word “blessed” is often synonymous with “rich.” A new car? “I’m so blessed.” A five-bedroom townhouse in Syokimau? “Favor ain’t fair.” A booming business? “Jehovah has remembered me.” But these same people can exploit workers, cheat in tenders, evade taxes, or lie their way through deals — and still claim to be walking in divine favor.

We have turned God's name into a stamp of approval for morally bankrupt success.

Consider the verse most quoted in prosperity circles:

“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” — Proverbs 10:22

We hold onto the first part and forget the second — or worse, we redefine “without painful toil” to mean shortcuts, connections, backdoor deals, and bribes.

But Proverbs, when read in full, is not a guide to making money. It is a treatise on character. It is a father pleading with his son to pursue wisdom over wealth, integrity over gain, honesty over shortcuts.

And yet, in Kenya, it is not uncommon for someone to be both prayerful and predatory. They can hold Bible study in the morning and scam people by evening. All the while saying “God has blessed me.”

What About David, Solomon, and Abraham?

One of the most troubling habits in Kenyan Christianity is cherry-picking scripture to justify moral failure. “David was a man after God’s own heart,” we say, even as we excuse our sexual sin. “Solomon was rich,” we say, even as we idolize luxury. “Abraham had cattle,” we say, even as we neglect justice, generosity, and truth.

But the Bible does not whitewash these characters. David repented in ashes for his sins. Solomon’s wealth led to idolatry and downfall. Abraham’s blessing was tied to responsibility, not indulgence.

To use their wealth as a justification for modern greed is a grotesque misreading of scripture.

Jesus Had No Place to Lay His Head

If we were to follow Jesus honestly, we would be forced to confront how uncomfortable he was with the pursuit of riches.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… You cannot serve both God and money.” — Matthew 6:19, 24
“Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” — Luke 6:24
“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” — Mark 10:21

Jesus never equated prosperity with favor. In fact, he warned that wealth often gets in the way of the kingdom. And yet, in Kenya, we have managed to flip his message. We have domesticated the gospel and made God the sponsor of our ambition.

Why This Belief Persists

This distortion of Christianity thrives for several reasons:

  • Historical Poverty: Generations have lived in lack. When wealth finally arrives, it feels sacred — too sacred to question.

  • Church Incentives: Prosperity messages fill churches. Nobody tithes like the hopeful. Nobody questions like the suffering.

  • Social Clout: In a culture obsessed with status, God becomes a divine elevator — from shags to Karen. From boda to Benz.

  • Lack of Discipleship: Few are taught the hard path of obedience, sacrifice, and moral courage. The loudest message is: get yours.

The Price We Pay

But what happens to a society where the appearance of blessing matters more than the substance of goodness?

We end up with:

  • Leaders who pray on Sunday and loot on Monday.

  • Businessmen who fast in the morning and defraud by night.

  • Marriages built on appearances and lies.

  • A generation who think God is a vending machine, and poverty is a moral failure.

In such a world, suffering becomes shameful, humility becomes weakness, and righteousness becomes irrelevant unless it's profitable.

What True Favor Looks Like

The Bible never promised ease. It promised truth. It promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness would be filled — not those who hunger and thirst for status.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” — Micah 6:8

If you want to know if God is truly at work in your life, ask:

  • Are you more honest today than you were last year?

  • Are you more generous with the little or the much you have?

  • Do you turn down deals because they are unjust?

  • Do you confess and repent when you fail, or do you hide behind scripture?

A Final Reckoning

One day, wealth will not be enough. The Range Rover will rust. The job will go. The deals will dry. The mask will fall.

And on that day, you will not be asked what you owned. You will be asked who you were.

Because God is not building kingdoms of concrete. He is building people of character.

And maybe the truest sign of blessing is not what you own — but what you are willing to give up to walk in the truth.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Know Thyself: The Quiet Power of Naming Your Nature

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” — Carl Jung We live in a culture that equates good intentions with goodness, and ambition with ability. But very few people in Kenya—or anywhere—truly know what they are made of. We can name our qualifications and our dreams. But ask someone their vices or virtues, and they hesitate. Worse, they lie. The Danger of Self-Unawareness In Kenya today, many of us are wandering through life making choices—big, small, and irreversible—without truly understanding who we are. We end up in jobs we despise, relationships we shouldn’t be in, or positions of influence we aren’t emotionally or ethically equipped for. And at the root of this dysfunction is a simple truth: we don’t know ourselves. This is not a spiritual or abstract dilemma. It’s a deeply practical one. To know oneself is to understand your vices, your virtues, your weaknesses, and your strengths—not in a vague sense, but in detail. Let’s ge...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Great Kenyan Home Ownership Madness: Dreams vs. Reality

Owning a home is a big dream for many Kenyans, but somewhere along the way, practicality has been thrown out the window. Too many people, driven by childhood aspirations or societal expectations, are constructing massive houses only to end up living like misers within them. Let’s break down why this trend makes little sense and what smarter, more sustainable homeownership looks like. The Harsh Reality of Owning a Big House in Kenya Many Kenyans, especially those who grew up in humble backgrounds, grew up being told to “dream big.” Unfortunately, this has translated into building unnecessarily large houses, often with rooms that remain unused, multiple verandahs gathering dust, and massive balconies that no one actually sits on. These houses cost millions to build, yet within a few years, the owners are struggling to maintain them, regretting their choices as they pour more money into renovations. If you need proof, just look at how many old houses in Nairobi remain unsold. No one wants...
4 comments
Read more

Entrepreneurship Myth In Kenya

Have you ever walked through different parts of Kenya and wondered how some of these tiny, almost hidden businesses survive? You pass by a cramped shop selling second-hand clothes, plastic buckets, hangers, and random jewelry. You pause for a second and ask yourself—who is actually buying all this? How is this business making money? Is it money laundering, or are these genuine businesses barely getting by in ways we don’t understand? I ask myself these same questions all the time. Earlier this year, I got an inside look. I was part of a project that involved collecting data on small businesses across Kenya—kiosks, market stalls, tailors, salons, fruit vendors, milk sellers, repair shops, cybers… all the businesses that make up the backbone of our economy. What I found was both eye-opening and brutally honest. The Reality Behind the Business Dream We love to romanticize entrepreneurship. Motivational speakers will tell you that employment is slavery and that starting your own business i...
2 comments
Read more