Today we read some verses that cause high anxiety among many American Christians. Jesus commanded a confidant young man to sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor, for then he would have treasure in heaven. In the passages to follow, we read that “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God”.
Jesus really cares about our attachment to “stuff”, doesn’t He? In Jesus’ day (and maybe still today?) material wealth was viewed as evidence of a blessing from God. Jesus cut through that facade, making it clear that riches can hinder people from surrendering to God and trusting in His provision.
What am I willing to give up in order to follow Jesus? Without becoming too legalistic, it seems that when it comes to our money (or lack thereof), we all need to ask ourselves these types of questions:
- Do I trust God to provide for me and my family?
- Do I hold loosely to whatever material wealth has been given to me?
- How much of my time and energy is spent thinking about expenditures outside of what is needed for daily living?
- Do I spend more time thinking about my finances than I do in Bible reading or prayer?
- Am I resentful of the material success of others?
- No matter my income, do I give back to God in gratitude for what He has given me?
God wants absolutely nothing to come between us and a right relationship with Him, least of all something as temporal as money. While the world looks for immediate gratification of every kind, we are asked to cling to God’s future promise of “treasure in heaven”.
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