Desirable Riches?

As sinful human beings, we seem always to be striving to gain more
finances and possessions. We are aiming to be more comfortable or to have more
power. We are even taught that unless you have this ambition, you are a
failure. There is a very popular saying among Wesleyan Christians and others: " Make
all you can, save all you can and give all you can ". It sounds so good and
Godly, but is it really?

For the first part, Jesus's words of Matthew19:24 come to my mind.
" 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" Do we really heed this very serious warning?
The Lord considers this subject of "gaining" so important that He repeats it
twice in His saying of Mathew 27:26 and Mark 8:36. " For what shall It profit a
man If he gains the whole world and lose his soul ? " Do we as followers of Chr
ist have much regard for our souls ?

As far as saving all you can is concerned, the story of the rich
fool should be a serious lesson for us. [Luke 12:16]. Then, the Lords teaching
frcm Matthew 6:19/20" Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth" is very
plain. That is not to say that you should never save. Joseph was let by the
Lord to lay up for the 7 years of famine. But we should only do it as led by the
Holy Spirit.

To give all you can is not the right idea either, although It sounds
very spiritual. There is strife in this idea and in following this concept
you feel compulsion! We never should give out of compulsion {2 Cor. 9:7] As
opposed to compulsion we should give with a cheerful heart. It will become
naturally for us to give our whole self cheerfully when we become Godly in obeying
God's Word. [Romans 12:1]

Can volunteer austerity be Godly ? It can be, but not necessarily
so! It depends on our motives. I used to be a real Dutch cheapskate. However,
my motive was not to please the Lord but to gain more for my self. I pray that
the Lord will eliminate this selfishness in me. In ancient times there rose up
a sect called the Asetics, followers of an old hermit who lived on roots and
berries, thinking that this would make him super spiritual. They preached and
inforced complete self denial. In their rigid self denial, they actually did
do serious damage to their bodies and were in fact very ungodly ! However
volunteer austerity, led by the Holy spirit can be a great help to conquer our
selfishness. Our motive then should be that we can do more for others with our God
given resources.

To be rich towards God should be our goal instead of gathering
riches for our self. Contentment with what the Lord has provided for us is also
much needed. 1Tim 6:6-8 says" Godliness with contentment is great gain" and to
be content with food and raiment." If we seek first the Kingdom of God, all
things will be added unto us and we will prosper even as our souls prospers. When
the Lord pours out His blesings of abundance upon us, riches will not become
a curse and a cause of losing our soul. A final thought. The Lord usually will
bless us only to the extend of which we can deal with. This in order not to
tempt us beyond our endurance. Praise His Holy Name! Amen.



Johannes G. Weiss