“If I Only Had A Million Bucks”

“We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same.” says Spurgeon.

Yes faithfulness under trial is to be admired and God’s grace during such circumstances must certainly be acknowledged. Yet one must consider the illusive subtlety of luxurious ease and ask which is the greater challenge to our soul? Enduring to be faithful under the weight of fiery trial or under no trial at all? Given our propensity towards self-sufficiency and independence, our flesh adores being in a state of needlessness, where our securities are under our control and our resources are within sight.

Luke 12:15-21; “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”  

Temptation is often understood as resistance against some carnal trespass like lying, stealing or sexual immorality. But there is a more subtle side to temptation. The sin in the above parable was not shady business practices, tax evasion or fraudulent activity. It wasn’t being rich in itself either, but buying into the lie of riches and consequentially, failing to be a good steward of these riches. Is this parable not the essence of idolatry? Valuing stuff more than God.

Surely God does not exempt the rich from looking to Him for their supply anymore than the poor. And certainly these riches had a purpose apart from personal blessing. What happened to this man? The parable seems to imply that the man had no mission in life apart from building an empire of wealth and securing a life of leisure. We may deduce this by the conclusion he drew at the end of his tally. I can hear him saying, “Hey I’ve worked hard for this success, now its my time.’ Did excess lure him away from God’s true purposes? Did accumulating wealth and building a name for himself become his life’s objective? Perhaps he thought, ‘If I only had a million dollars I could kick back and give more time to the important things.’ It is funny how certain things only become important after we have achieved our personal goals. Does a life of ease and comfort draw us closer to Christ’s heart or is it possible that these pleasures, in excess, may dull our senses and lull us to sleep? Have we lost sight of the eternal and replaced it with that which is transient? How can you be watching for the Lord’s return when your eyes and heart are fixated on your retirement funds and investment portfolio?

Proverbs 23:4,5; “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

 

In light of these considerations, the life deemed so pleasurable and beneficial may prove to be as much an enemy or more? Can ease lead to sluggardly and self-absorbed living? Can wealth lie to us? Is wealth even the real culprit? Maybe not directly, but its influence can be misleading. 

What we often intend to use it for, whether it be for self or future family generations, wealth can become our obsession. An idol that demands our constant attention and protection as it draws the interest of those around us. And speaking of family generations, what legacy are we truly passing on? That wealth is the key to security and success in life? That it is there to serve our personal whims? That God is secondary or worse the key, to be used like a good stockbroker? That this kind of investment for the sake of future family is more prudent and valuable than the witness we pass on when we prioritize our wealth to serving God. Surely the legacy we should endeavor to pass on is that the Kingdom of God, and ultimately God Himself, are the true riches. In doing this, we join a throng of those who believed and practiced this with passion. We put ourselves in good company. Moses who shunned the fame and wealth of Egypt. King David, Daniel and a host of others who refused to be defined by the worlds standards and forsook this present life’s pleasures so as to somehow be found with a worldview that pleases God.

Hebrews 11:32-38; “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets — who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated — of whom the world was not worthy — wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

How is it that God spends more time through the scriptures warning us about worldly riches then encouraging us to seek them out? Riches can distort reality. Under the glamour of its light, it may cast a different rendering of our person to others and to ourselves. Ask yourself, can wealth elevate some to positions their character and experience have not prepared them for? Do long seasons of ease and prosperity always produce a godly disposition? Do we grow healthier in good circumstances, when everything is to our liking? Not according to Matthew 13’s parable of the sower.

Matthew 13:22,23; “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

To be fair, the deceitfulness of riches does not solely lie with money and net worth. Riches can be considered anything that gives us pleasure, anything we give worth to. Particularly those things that seem to grant us celebrity status in this world. A talent or skill that places us in the lime light and grants us notoriety. Our intelligence, beauty and physical skills can be idols we boast of and pine after.

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God” - 1 Timothy 6:17.

In James 2:1-5, James warns Christians about treating rich people better than the poor, preferring them and giving to them greater honor and attention. How often do we hear of those with great wealth being placed in positions of greater honor and influence, almost as though wealth confirms one to be wiser, nobler, or a more responsible leader? We usually have no idea how these individuals amassed such wealth, or what they do with it, let alone the quality of their character, and yet we grant them ‘special’ access into our lives. Groupies pine to be around them, secretly hoping their favor might fall to them. In truth many are often fascinated with success, and success is often associated with wealth. The sad thing is, wealth often blinds people, both those accumulating it and those witnessing it. As stated earlier, wealth can create a distorted view of ourselves and of others. It can become the greatest burden in our lives.

Proverbs 11:28 “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.”

In this world, wealth can act like a neon sign hanging around the necks of the ‘haves’, pretentiously boasting of their importance and demanding fealty to their causes. In this world it is often used as a measuring stick of ones worth and significance. Governments are influenced by it and people often idolize those who have it. Many dream about wealth as if it were the 'cure all' for all of mans sorrows while many again spend their lives in pursuit of it. To the majority it is seen as an entrance into ivory towers, a pass to elite places with special privileges. It is a bridge, so to speak, over troubled waters, a means of bypassing life’s challenges. But wealth has its dark side and the excessive ease it may provide can quickly degrade into slothfulness and poor investment. Surely the disciple Mathew has given us fair warning. We must always be wary of its deceptive influence. Like an intoxicating wine, loving it too much can lead to trouble, and like wine, too much brings impaired judgment and tardy responses.

"And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth"; Deuteronomy 8:17.

Another problem associated with wealth is that we often see it as ours and for our purposes. Something we have earned and deserve. After we pay our bills and meet the needs of our immediate family, after we tithe perhaps and keep some for a rainy day, we consider the rest ours to do with as we desire. The same view is held concerning time and availability. There is a balance. Excessive wealth that leads to excessive leisure is the telltale that something is wrong with our understanding of God’s blessing. Amassing wealth needs to fall under the scrutiny of scriptural principles. Wealth with no immediate and defining purpose, outside of our own ambitions is symptomatic of a heart problem.   

Our lives are to be engaged and active in His service and so must our wealth be. Whether materialistic wealth, personal or vocational skill sets, status or influential positions, or even our availability, we are called by God to treat these as tools dedicated to His service. Like the body that eats much and expends little energy, we can become spiritually unhealthy, fat, lazy and disengaged from God’s purposes. We need to examine those seemingly ambitious claims that ‘if I had more money’ or ‘if I didn’t have to work’ I would do so much more for the kingdom. We forget that we are wired to be selfish and often fall prey to putting personal pleasure and convenience ahead of responsible, compassionate, sacrificial living.

"But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"(1 John 3:17)

A word about churches. Churches are not to be institutions amassing assets and hording great wealth. As we have discussed, worldly wealth and net worth is not the truest indication of God’s blessing. Churches must be missional as part of their fiscal responsibility. That means wealth has a purpose and is active in that purpose. One danger to consider with a ‘hording’ model is how that practice impacts the congregants. Does it encourage or quench a missional heart? Does it validate sacrificial living? By not engaging our resources in achievable and foreseeable kingdom goals are we not severing the appropriate connection wealth should have with ministry and God’s purposes, and in the process, deny congregants’ a noble heritage? Are we not then robbing our people of true kingdom treasure and ultimately robbing God of His due return for our investment? 

"Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life", 1 Tim 6:18-19.

As the scripture teaches the church is to be rich in godly works and in producing godly character. Its wealth must be submitted to the Lord’s mission. We are to be about our Father’s business. Contrast the passion and faith of the poverty stricken Macedonian church against that of today’s tele-evangelists with their affluent ministries and mega church finances. Their questionable lifestyles that focus on living the high life, sporting 2 million dollar homes, Trump Tower apartments, Rolls Royce’s and private jets. Getting God’s best, oh yes, at your expense. Yes, what would Paul say about these kinds of investments? I can’t help but wonder if Matthew 6:2 would apply to those who would pursue this world’s riches. Would it be said of them; “… Truly I tell you, they have there reward already.”   

2 Corinthians 8:1-4; “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints …“

In the Old Testament, David and Solomon’s reign have been characterized as the golden age of Israel. David’s rule secured Israel’s borders while Solomon’s maintained its peace. However if we would live as the days of Solomon, we must do the work of David first. David was defined by his heart for God and so we do not find it difficult to understand his commitment to finance the building of the temple which God inhabited upon its’ commissioning. This example isn’t to reinforce the ideology supporting the building of magnificent edifices rather it speaks to our mandate to build up the temple of God - us. It addresses establishing a witness in the community that declares God’s presence through testimony and Christian service. In short all David’s investment was directed toward the kingdom of God. It is not hard to believe that this investment produced the years of prosperity that followed, prosperity that was marked by peace and God’s favor among the nations.

Matthew 6:33; "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." 

Spurgeon once wrote, “If we would learn to profit by our prosperity, we should not need so much adversity. If we would gather from a kiss all the good it might confer upon us, we should not so often smart under the rod.”

Whether poverty and calamity or riches and ease, we must see these as opportunities to demonstrate our redeemed condition. The evils of one may not easily outweigh the evils of the other. Neither one are the sole means of our salvation yet either unattended may hinder it. I may reject God due to my suffering or due to my opulent lifestyle, it matters not the means.

1 Tim 6:6-12, 17-19; “But godliness with contentment is great gain, 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. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. … As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of 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.”

My heart grieves when I think of the young souls that have been enticed away from their faith by the allure of fame and wealth. It’s quite a seductive trap to have all that glamour and all that attention thrown at you. The problem with traps though is they don’t easily let go.

In summation, faith in Jesus and obedience to the will of the Father are both our greatest treasure and strongest security. Truly these are the only riches that endure forever. While we need R & R and finances to live, our lives shouldn’t be defined by them. Conformance to the Lord’s mission, character and passion is life's business and our security. Though wealth and time are commodities valuable to kingdom work, that is the point, they must always be engaged in the Lord’s work. We can’t afford to be naïve as to their influences and as such, be lulled to sleep by their song.

"Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." - James 5:8b.