Having It All

         Possessing a lot of money is not wrong. Many of God’s most trusted servants were and are people of great wealth. But wealth is not the measuring stick that should be used to judge the greatness of a man of God. For many great men and women of God have possessed few of this world’s goods. Both the wealthy and the poor have the same access to real peace and happiness. It is our relationship with God that gives our lives meaning and purpose. Joy and peace are not found in our financial reports. Joy and peace are found in God.

           So if being rich is not wrong, then why doesn’t God allow all His servants to become wealthy? Jesus Christ gives a beautiful answer to that question when He tells His followers about the rich young man who came to Him asking for the answer to a happy life. Scriptures relate that this young man was a good man but he felt that his life was not fulfilling, that his life seemingly held no purpose. Jesus told this young man that to find the answer he was seeking, he must sell all that he had and give it to the poor. You see, Christ knew that this young man’s first love was his money; money was the obstacle that would keep him from making God the center of his life. When Jesus identifies this same obsession with wealth in some of us, He knows that this obsession will block us from obtaining a rich and full life in Him.

          Solomon came to this realization when, after viewing all of his beautiful homes, servants, gold, and huge incomes he received from kings and provinces outside his own nation of Israel, he concluded that: Whoever loves money, never has enough money. And whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

         James, an early Christian leader, spoke about the great differences in the economic status’ among believers in Christ. To those with very little, James urges them to be excited about the exalted position in Christ. As Christians, we have an eternal high place prepared for us in His kingdom. In a different way, James urges the rich Christians to rejoice that God has opened their eyes to what really counts in life. They no longer need to worry about amassing and retaining great fortunes. Real lasting wealth is found in eternal things.

          So whether we are rich or poor is meaningless. Earthly treasures are transitory — shifting from one owner to the next through death. Our lasting treasures are those we lay up for ourselves in heaven. Only those things that we sow spiritually — helping those in need and sharing the good news of Jesus with the hurting world about us — will enter eternity with us (Matthew 6:19-20).