Spiritual Riches vs. Worldly Riches
By Angie Lewis
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble
to it.
Proverbs 10: 22
I’m in the middle of reading Joel Osteen’s book, Your Best Life
Now and I feel myself becoming inspired greatly. Osteen likes to
make people feel good; he peps them up with wonderful sounding
words to get people to reach their potential in life. But is it
reality to think that just by our thoughts we can meet our
potential and become successful in life? Yes, it is true, we
have the ability to think ourselves to riches. What we think and
believe on a continual basis we generate, through our actions,
into our lives.
For instance, if we continually think the grass is greener on
the other side of the fence, we will keep trespassing on someone
else’s turf, either through envy and jealousy or through lust
and desire. But when we already know that our own grass is
green, we make it even more green and lush. The moral is: Don’t
worry about your neighbor’s grass or you will neglect your own.
Don’t seek happiness in worldly riches or
you will neglect your spiritual riches. But seek first God’s
kingdom and righteousness.
Matthew 6:33
Here is what many of these “feel good” preachers neglect to tell
their readers and listeners. God does not necessarily want
Christians to be rich and successful by the world’s standards.
Have we thought about that when we listen and read sermons about
getting rich and successful? We need to understand that the
world’s meaning of riches and success are not the same as God’s
meaning of riches and success. Why would God want His children
to work their buns off to get rich in this world and not have
any time for Christian stewardship?
God’s Word does not teach Christians to reach for worldly
riches. Christ’ principles teach the Way that leads to spiritual
riches where love, hope, forgiveness and eternal life abide. The
distressing part about it is Christians are being lead to
believe that to be happy and content in this life they should
strive to be rich and successful. But that’s not where happiness
happens to be. Ironically, happiness is among our spiritual
wealth.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some
people, eager for money, have wondered from the faith and
pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:10 NIV
These preachers are leading people down the wrong path! The
wrong path leads Christians further away from God and God’s
standards. They like to throw the word “Christ” and “God” into
their materials once in awhile so people will stay connected to
God in some small way, but worldly riches are not where the
kingdom of God is. Inferring the only way for happiness in life
is through gaining through material wealth is deceiving.
Of course, don’t misunderstand, this does not mean that a rich
Christian cannot be saved, but as we know it, it is much more
difficult to tackle the job of riches and the job of Christian
stewardship at the same time. Usually one of these vocations
will get neglected because it takes a lot of work to be rich in
this world. It is much more difficult to do the things of God
when we are busy doing the things that lead to worldly riches.
Not only that, but as we strive for our worldly status, much of
it goes contrary to the word of God and you know what that means
don’t you?
In the kingdom of God riches are found in our spiritual lives.
So what are these spiritual riches? Spiritual riches are the
things that belong to God and that He blesses Christians with,
such as wisdom, love, forgiveness, hope, the Sprit of Life,
redemption, eternity and salvation. These are just some of the
gifts that God enriches our lives with.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
II Corinthians 9:15
Ironically, when the Christian puts his trust and faith in the
things of God, like magic his life begins to be filled with
blessings and abundance. When we put our faith and hope in
spiritual riches God gives us what we need in this world to live
comfortable, happy, peaceful lives. Put your trust and faith in
God and He will provide!
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ ‘What shall we
drink’? Or ‘What shall we wear’? For the pagans run after all of
these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33
