"How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God."
Mark 10:23-31 NKJV
Rich people are not barred from the kingdom of God. It is ok to be rich. The rich can be useful for God's work by financing certain projects or blessing someone who desperately needs help. The problem comes when the rich person puts their bank balance before God, by trusting in their wealth first. Tony Evans puts it this way:
'The problem is not wealth itself; the problem is a wealthy person who trusts in his wealth'.
The Tony Evans Bible Commentary
Jesus can test people with their wealth; take for instance His conversation with the rich young ruler Mark 10:17-22. The ruler had asked Jesus how he may inherit eternal life. Jesus' reply wiped him away, 'One thing you lack, go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up your cross and follow Me.' v21. Here, the rich young ruler became sad and reluctant to do this, for his riches were his most prized possession.
Being rich will not buy you happiness or peace. It will not buy you genuine friendship or good health; and it most definitely will not buy you salvation. Many rich people have died, quite young, leaving their riches behind for someone else to enjoy. Financial comforts are not transferable to heaven. The richest person in this world is the one who is committed to Jesus, the one who has given their life to living for Him, and that is you! What you have is transferable to heaven - your love for Jesus. If God has blessed you financially, that is brilliant, enjoy it but, make it submissive to Jesus. He is your most important possession, not what you have in the bank.
There is nothing quite like something you have been wanting for such a long time, turning up, unexpectedly. This is a blessing because it comes from your Father in heaven, Jesus told us that as we seek first His kingdom, that all the we need will be added to us as well Matthew 6:33. Don't lose sight of this gem; you may not have a lot but what you do have is priceless
Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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