by Bert Harned, MD
Would $10 million in your checking account, tax free, make you “rich”? Not if you had debts of $20 million, and your family had just been killed by a drunk. Most people think it would be just grand to be rich. What do we mean by the word “rich”?
Most of us would think in terms of lots of money, land, livestock, jewels, toys, vehicles, and “stuff.” But we all know people who have a huge surplus of all of that, and still live miserable lives. Is that “wealthy”? I don’t think so.
James has some harsh things to say about “you rich people” in James 5:1-6.
There is nothing at all wrong with wealth, it is the misuse of it that is sinful, and leads to bad things.
So I have been thinking of how to define “real” wealth. I have listed some things that came to my mind that mean fabulous wealth…think about it!
- To be adopted into God’s family–to have God as my Father
- To have eternal life with God forever–heaven is my destiny
- To be forgiven of all my sins, and thus rid of all guilt
- To be given everything I need for life and godliness
- To be “complete in Christ…lacking nothing”
- To be loved by God, and by my family
- To have peace, to be content and to know my purpose
- To be “wholly filled and flooded with God Himself” (Ephesians 3:19). There is nothing greater!
If you like, you could add a lot to the list.
It is possible, of course, to be in possession of all that and more, and still be “poor.” How? One way is to be ignorant of what you have, and the other is not to believe it. Both are inexcusable.
