Are You Rich?

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’" “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” -Luke 18:18–27 NIV

Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. -Philippians 4:11–13 MESSAGE

Last Sunday I shared how I had discovered from the Global Rich List that I was indeed rich. Not just a little rich, but 99.12% rich (compared to the entire population of the world).

Now, I don't feel guilty that I'm rich. But, it does make me think about the words of Jesus above, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." For those of you who can't quite get the picture in your head, Jesus is saying that it is really hard, impossible perhaps. Like I said, I don't feel guilty -- and I am not calling you to feel guilty either. Jesus never encouraged anybody to feel guilty. Instead, He regularly invites us into a better way of life and then highlights those things (often good things) that keep us from realizing this Kingdom way of life. For most of us, I believe, it means we need to give more of our money away. But, it’s not about the amount, it's about giving more and more of it away.

Churches will often talk about tithing. Tithing actually means a 10th, and comes from the Old Testament practice of giving a 10th of all you had. Pastors today will often take the fact that "tithe" is an Old Testament word to say that it is a guideline or even starting point. My perspective? If your giving (to church or elsewhere) does not prevent you from doing something you want to do, you are probably not giving enough. If your giving does not prevent you from doing something else, you are by definition giving out of your abundance. God calls us to more -- not because He needs cash, but because He wants us to trust that He will provide for us even if we give away more than we think we can afford. That is countercultural. Giving is not about the amount, it's about the trust. But Doug -- I have to prepare for my kids' college, I have to be secure, I don’t know if the economy is going to hold. Yup. It’s hard. But it’s where we meet God. It's how a rich man gets through the eye of a needle.

Ask yourself these questions:

- are you rich?
- would Jesus agree with your answer?
- do you feel guilty? (if so, it is not from Jesus)
- do you trust Jesus with your life enough to give away more than you think you can?
- what do you fear would happen?

Pray this prayer: God, don’t let these things that look so much to the world like blessings cause me to miss out on the blessing of knowing – really knowing you – the only real satisfaction I could ever know. Please God, do whatever it takes to cause me not to become dependent on things other than you. Amen