We Can All Be Spiritually Wealthy!

In an article that ran in the April 26, 2011 online edition of The Wall Street Journal, a survey was taken regarding personal wealth.

The survey, done by Phoenix International and U.S. Trust of people with $3 million or more in investible assets, and cited in U.S. News and World Report, says that you know you are wealthy when…

1–Money is no obstacle. More than half (56%) said they considered themselves wealthy when they could buy anything without money concerns.

2–The Magic Number. A little more than a third of the millionaires say they became wealthy when they hit a certain number. A quarter of the respondents said it was $1 million to $2 million saved, while another quarter said it said it was $2 to $4 million. Only 15% said they needed $5 million to $10 million and 4% said they needed more than $10 million. (They must all live in New York City).

3–Pursue their passion. Ok, so not everyone can become lemur rescuers or deep-ocean submarine explorers, but 14% of mere millionaires say the ability to pursue an interest or passion is a sign they are wealthy. Of that group, most say they plan to travel or “have fun.”

4–You tell friends “Have Your Family Office Call Mine!” Of course, if you have a family office, you probably have more than $100 million, in which case you probably already know you are rich.

5–You think a salary of $1.6 million a year is “not a lot of money.”
-The Wall Street Journal, Online Edition; April 26, 2011; Robert Frank

I found this article very interesting as to what SOME may consider "true wealth." In contrast to this article, I then read a quote by William Shakespeare which I feel is a more realistic take on true wealth. I have included it here...

"If thou art rich, thou art poor, for like an ass whose back with ingots bows, thou bearest thy heavy riches but a journey, and death unloads thee." -William Shakespeare

In today's writing, we shall concentrate our attention on James 1:9-11 and passages elsewhere which deal with the subject of poverty and wealth. Let's start by noticing that both wealth and poverty can be a problem. We'll call this the "Trials of Poverty and Wealth" (cf. Proverbs 30:7-9).

In "poverty," we may be tempted to curse God, like Job's wife wanted her husband to do, when they had lost everything (Job 2:9). And, as many do today when things don't go well!

In "wealth," we may be tempted to forget God. This is similar to to when God warned Israel that it might happen to them (Deuteronomy 8:10-14,17), and, as it turned out, did in fact happen to them! (Hosea 13:5-6).

Having seen that both poverty and wealth have their own potential for causing problems, let's consider the reasons for joy in poverty, or wealth (James 1:9-11)...

If we are "poor," then we can rejoice in the fact they we have been "exalted"! God has chosen the "poor" to be rich in faith (Isaiah 66:1-2; James 2:5). It is the poor who first had the gospel preached to them (Luke 4:18). It is the poor slave who becomes Christ's "freedman" (1 Corinthians 7:22). So even if we are poor, we can still be "spiritually rich" and on equal standing with all Christians (cf. Revelation 2:8-9).

If we are "rich," then we can rejoice in the fact that we have been "humbled"! The rich are "humbled" by their:

a. Becoming Christ's "slave" (1 Corinthians 7:21-22).
b. Being placed on an equal standing with all Christians...in which riches mean nothing (cf. Revelation 3:11-19).

Why it is good that the rich be so "humbled"? The Bible tells us that:

a. Riches are temporary (James 1:10-11; Proverbs 23:1-5; 1 Timothy 6:17)
b. Riches are unable to redeem our souls (Psalm 49:6-9,13-20).
c. The love of money is a "quagmire" and a source of "self-inflicted injuries" (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

In other words, it is good that in coming to Jesus Christ we find these things out. Or we might have made the same mistake many make today; that is, thinking that money provides true security (remember the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21?)

In conclusion, even in the trials of poverty or wealth, there can be a cause for rejoicing! Always remember that Jesus is "The Great Equalizer." He exhalts, or blesses the poor who are rich in faith. And He humbles the wealthy by basing their salvation not on wealth, but on that which cannot be bought: the blood of Jesus and the obedience of a humble and contrite spirit.

The important question to is not "How rich are you?" but "How rich in faith are you?"

Prayer:

Blessed are you, Lord God:
Blessed are you for ever.
Holy is your name:
Blessed are you for ever.
Great is your mercy for your people:
Blessed are you for ever. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Faith