“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” – 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Where is our hope, our delight, and our desires? The western world and other parts of the world in this generation has seen an abundance of prosperity. In many places such as the United States and Europe the general population lives in greater richest not only when compared to the rest of the world, but also when compared with the generations of man. Many live with great wealth – homes with several different rooms, indoor plumbing, a vast host of a variety of delicacies to feast upon, transportation that conveys us quickly to distant places and does so in comfort, the ability to learn a variety of skills and explore different occupations, scores of clothes to choose from, and more. In other places, today, and in other generations, these riches are not known. And for many of us, including me, these riches have become so common, that we have forgotten how much we have been given and these riches have become what is expected and demanded and even have become considered a necessity, instead of a blessing.
As God has been blessing me with these abundances, I see my own sin and how easily riches can corrupt the heart, and how easily the desire for comfort and the desire for security can affect my decisions, whether I am poor or rich. And these desires in my heart are sin creeping up to rot the blessings the Lord has given me. John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eye and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
As I eat the food with my nice clothes at a comfortable table in a modern home that the Lord has provided, can I consider it my right to have these things, when others can only afford basic nutrition; some eat the same thing for every meal, every day; and some die of starvation? Can I consider it a right to have a fancy home with many rooms and indoor plumbing, when families of different generations have to live in one room in other parts of the world? Is it a necessity to have a closet full of clothes, when others have so little?
For those who see these things as a necessity, the scripture gives this warning . . ."Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
For those who see these things as a necessity, the scripture gives this warning . . ."Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
The things we have are not a necessity or a right or a privilege, but a blessing. And we should always be thankful for what the Lord has granted us, giving Him glory. Paul states,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Earlier Paul writes,
“7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
What we are and what we do are founded in Christ. In Him and through Him, we have are being, we have our life. In Him alone are we rich. Christ gives us the strength to live whether in plenty or in want. And in Him we can do all things, that is of faith. What we have is not important. Whose we are is.
What we have is not ours, these possessions are the Lord’s, we are only stewards of them. And we will one day have to give an account for are stewardship. If we lived our lives trusting in these possessions, hording them for ourselves, and finding our delight in them, not only will we find ourselves hoarding what is rightfully the Lord’s and not ours, and essentially robbing the King, we will also find that our hope has rotted away with these hoarded possessions. “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eye and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Our attitude should not be how do I get a nice home, or how do I make sure I am eating well, or how do I have nice clothing. Our thoughts should be on how we can be faithful stewards of what is the Lord’s. How do I let Christ’s strength work in me, so “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Our treasure is Christ and our passions and our love and our devotion are for Him. So let us throw aside all that hinders and entangles us and run with our eyes upon Christ, desiring and longing for Him, being enamored and captivated by his beauty, and having pride in His possessing us, for in this the love of the Father is truly in us, and this does not fade away.
Christ stated,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
Our treasure is Christ and we should pursue that treasure with all our heart, mind, soul, and body. Jesus calls to us, “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” And He is honest about the cost of following Him . . . “Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’" Our very lives are His, how much more are our possessions. And He is are King and Shepherd, we follow Him wherever He may lead us. And wherever He leads us, whether in plenty or want, He will give us the strength in all things, and He will enable us to be rich in good deeds. So with joy we cast off all that hinders us and we run with all our might and take pleasure in our freedom.
