“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.” (1Timothy 6:17-19 NLT)
Sometimes, people who have an abundance of material goods forget how they received those blessings and from whom. Certainly, rich people are not the only ones who exhibit pride. There is something about material abundance, however, that produces a spirit, an attitude of self-sufficiency. Let us be clear that the riches are not the problem, since God provided them for us to enjoy. The problem is the self-sufficient pride that wealth awakens in the human.
Of course, the issue is not about the wealth. The issue is trust in material wealth versus trust in God. We all know that poor folks struggle with trust same as rich folks. Pride is a hindrance to the poor same as to the rich. Yet, despite our economic circumstances, God is the only solid foundation for our trust. Because He is our shepherd, we will lack nothing we need. Whether rich or poor, he supplies all we need from his unlimited, inflation-free sources.
God can be trusted because he is not greedy. God can be trusted because his supply store is open to everyone without prejudice. God can be trusted because his benefits are not manipulated by any economic bear or bull. We never wake up to new or rising costs of his benefits.
So, if we can humbly acknowledge who supplies all our needs, then it should be easy enough to use our wealth the way He instructs. For if we can trust him to provide for us, we should also trust him with generosity in our giving and good works. If He is always ready to share his riches with us, then we should always be ready to share ours with others.
No, this is not some social scientist’s plan for redistributing wealth. Instead, it is God’s plan to create a foundation of treasure for our future. Our hope is in God who determines the certainty of our future. And in this present world, freely giving like God does will enable us to enjoy indescribable satisfaction.
Dear Father, thank you for your material blessings. Empower us with humility, trust and hope. Enable us to be generous and trust your purposes. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today by trusting God,