As you view the cross and the empty tomb this week, what do these symbols represent to you? For me, they are powerful reminders of the fullness of God’s love, delivered to me through Jesus’ suffering, death, and miraculous resurrection. God’s love makes us eternally and spiritually wealthy.
We don’t often think of riches in this way, but what if we redefined wealth with eternity in mind instead of by an earthly measure? Let’s examine “wealth” from an earthly perspective first and see what that gives us.
I believe most people, when they think about the word “wealth,” think about how much they have in terms of money, investments, or assets and how they can acquire more. Wanting more material goods is part of our human nature, and unfortunately, being inflamed by a lost spiritual soul can turn into the sin of greed.
Hungering for more earthly wealth can start from only a seedling of thought and feelings. Two of the more powerful thoughts that can fuel greed are comparison and fear. Comparing our situation to others and the fear that we will not have enough are temptations that lead us to dangerous places and an empty soul.
The Gospel Makes Us Wealthy
Now compare this to what Scripture presents and how the extreme poor live.
Paul writes to Timothy, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (I Timothy 6:6-7).
So much wisdom is packed into these two verses. Godliness, or devoting our actions, thoughts and will to things of God, with contentment equates to great gain. Or, in other words, wealth.
How exciting is it to think that if I am living in the likeness of Jesus and am thankful for what I already have, I am not just gaining but actually gaining greatly?
Secondly, in verse 7, Paul encouraged us to take our eyes off this world and focus on the world beyond—eternal life. Paul wants us to see belongings and even the lack thereof in view of an eternity with God.
When our thoughts turn to eternal wealth, joy springs from our souls, for it is the peace, love and the presence of God that awaits us after we pass from this life. Who then will care about earthly treasures when we have eternal wealth in view?
A Lesson from the Poor
Interestingly, the extreme poor are better equipped to capture the heart of these verses in First Timothy than you and me. Not by choice but by necessity, they gain great hope from keeping eternity with Christ fresh in their thoughts and hearts. The extreme poor don’t have the luxury of a full refrigerator, clean water from the faucet or even a workable indoor toilet. They must live in the moment, waking up each day concerned about what to eat. For the poor Christians, their reliance on God for these needs is required daily.
Obviously, poverty is nothing to be desired, but how much the poor rely on God is admirable. They’re more likely to live with a deep-seated yearning to trust God for every next bite of food, a sip of cool water, and relief from a hard life.
And it is with joyful exuberance that they worship God when He provides in their hour of need. It is an amazing experience to behold when a believer’s basic needs are met.
Living with the Gospel in Our Hearts
You and I are wealthy – have more than we deserve or need. I want us to take on the mindset of the poor in this matter. Let’s pursue a renewed thought life where eternity with God and contentment with His provision are ever present in our lives. May we pray each morning for today’s needs, never fearful of what could happen. May we recognize that because of the Gospel, we are wealthy. We’re richer than Bill Gates or Elon Musk, not just for eternity but for today and tomorrow, too.
