A Side Lesson on Wealth
Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. Matt. 19:21, 22, RSV.
It is easy to draw the wrong conclusion from these verses. The rich young ruler's problem was not money itself but the love of money.
Jesus was not categorically condemning wealth in His confrontation with the ruler. After all, He did not make the same request of Nicodemus or Zacchaeus or other people of means that He dealt with. But wealth was the danger for this man. It was his idol, the thing that kept him from God.
Halford Luccock points out that "Jesus was not laying down poverty as either a requirement or an ideal for everyone. He was a Good Physician, and did not prescribe the same pill for every patient. He looked on this patient and loved him with an individual love, a love which saw him as a person with a specialized need. Then he prescribed the action that would free him from the thing that was holding him back. In this case, it was wealth."
For you or me it may be something different. But we all must meet the same requirement--total surrender of all that we are and all that we have to God's will so that He is truly Lord of our life.
When I read the story of the rich young ruler, another rich-young-ruler type comes to my mind. But what a difference in their responses. Both had power, prestige, and money. Both received the invitation to discipleship. Both had to make a decision to give up their past. But what a difference.
In Paul we get a glimpse of what the young ruler could have been like as he used his gifts for God. But the latter chose to use his gifts for himself.
With such individuals in mind, the apostle would later write that "the love of money is the root of all evils" (1 Tim. 6:10, RSV). But for those who have been able to put wealth in its right place, God has utilized their gifts across the history of the church to sustain His work and help those in need.
Wealth is tricky. It can be either a curse or a blessing. As with all gifts, it is up to each of us as to how we will use them.
Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. Matt. 19:21, 22, RSV.
It is easy to draw the wrong conclusion from these verses. The rich young ruler's problem was not money itself but the love of money.
Jesus was not categorically condemning wealth in His confrontation with the ruler. After all, He did not make the same request of Nicodemus or Zacchaeus or other people of means that He dealt with. But wealth was the danger for this man. It was his idol, the thing that kept him from God.
Halford Luccock points out that "Jesus was not laying down poverty as either a requirement or an ideal for everyone. He was a Good Physician, and did not prescribe the same pill for every patient. He looked on this patient and loved him with an individual love, a love which saw him as a person with a specialized need. Then he prescribed the action that would free him from the thing that was holding him back. In this case, it was wealth."
For you or me it may be something different. But we all must meet the same requirement--total surrender of all that we are and all that we have to God's will so that He is truly Lord of our life.
When I read the story of the rich young ruler, another rich-young-ruler type comes to my mind. But what a difference in their responses. Both had power, prestige, and money. Both received the invitation to discipleship. Both had to make a decision to give up their past. But what a difference.
In Paul we get a glimpse of what the young ruler could have been like as he used his gifts for God. But the latter chose to use his gifts for himself.
With such individuals in mind, the apostle would later write that "the love of money is the root of all evils" (1 Tim. 6:10, RSV). But for those who have been able to put wealth in its right place, God has utilized their gifts across the history of the church to sustain His work and help those in need.
Wealth is tricky. It can be either a curse or a blessing. As with all gifts, it is up to each of us as to how we will use them.
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