Photo by Paul Howard Nicholas
Of the many things on Earth that human beings will lay their lives on the line for, love, money, and vengeance, though not necessarily in that order, are generally found near the top of the list.
People of every creed and color constantly demonstrate that they are willing, if necessary, to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of love, the love of money, or the satisfaction of vengeance:
A man risks his life to save loved ones from a burning building; thieves risk their lives in daring robberies; a gangbanger, seeking to avenge a homeboy’s death, is gunned down on enemy turf.
Without question, love, money, and vengeance are powerful motivators. Money, however, is in a category all its own. Of the three, it is the only tangible. It can be piled up, counted, and stored in banks or blown on a spree. Money is also unique in that it can be helpful or hurtful, depending on who employs it.
True love is always positive. Vengeance is always negative. But money can be either. Used to open a much needed hospital or school, money becomes a blessing for the community these institutions will serve.
Money used to promote misleading messages, however, or to suppress human rights, is a curse to those who seek truth and freedom.
The bible offers various statements about money and material wealth.
King Solomon, in the 10th chapter of Ecclesiastes, verse 19, says, “A feast is made for laughter. And wine maketh merry; But money answereth all things.” (KJV)
While it may seem ironic that Solomon, considered one of the wisest men of his time, could have arrived at such an indefensible conclusion about the virtues of money, his words, from a king’s perspective, make sense.
If enemies threatened to unseat him, money would buy the spies, the armies, and the weapons he needed to defeat them.
When key allies showed signs of wavering in support for his causes, monetary gifts usually brought them back into the fold.
And when it came to maintaining harmony among the members of his harem of two thousand wives and concubines, money made it possible for Solomon to provide them with a lavish lifestyle.
The problem with King Solomon’s statement about money being the answer to everything is that it is patently false. It won’t open the gates of Heaven and it can’t buy love. And If happiness could be purchased with money, rich people would never commit suicide.
The only instructional value of such a misleading message is that it serves as a reminder that the holy scriptures were written by, and subsequently translated by, imperfect human beings.
And while much of the information found in the bible provides sound advice for spiritual enhancement, it is important to pray for God’s guidance whenever it becomes necessary to sift jewels of truths from the shifting sands of an author’s personal agenda.
The new testament of the bible offers more fact-based counseling about the accumulation of wealth. First Timothy, chapter 6, verse 10 says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil…”
This statement is as accurate today as it was when it was written thousands of years ago. History is littered with the mental, physical, and spiritual wreckage of perpetrators and victims who got caught up in obsessive quests for material gain.
In Luke 12:48, Jesus is quoted as saying, “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required…” The message here is clear: The bigger the material blessings, the more God expects the blessed to share in making the world a better place.
The most troubling statement in the Bible regarding the accumulation of wealth, however, is found in the 19th chapter of Matthew, verse 24, where Jesus says that “…It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Jesus made this statement to his disciples after counseling a wealthy young man who claimed to be living in harmony with the commandments, but wanted to know what more he could do to
achieve eternal life.
Jesus tells the young man in Matthew 19: 21 that he would have “treasure in Heaven” if he would sell all of his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. Matthew 19: 22 says that the young man, upon hearing this, “…went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.”
Jesus makes it clear in this passage that material wealth on Earth, if valued more than Heavenly treasure, can become a stumbling block in the middle of the path to spiritual enlightenment and weaken a rich person’s desire to stay connected to God.
A lot of wealthy people don't pray for God’s will to be done on Earth because they are all the way okay with the way things are There’s no need to ask God for help in securing their daily bread because they're already eating the finest food available. They hire security professionals to take care of trespassers, and if they happen to trespasse against someone, their top-notch legal firms will minimize the consequences.
But Jesus leaves no doubt that, while it may be difficult for a rich person to earn salvation, it can be done. In clarifying his statement about the camel and the eye of a needle, Jesus says in Matthew 19:26: “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
And so the message for rich people who want to establish a better relationship with God is clear. As stewards of one of the most formidable powers on Earth, it would be wise for them to determine whether the current status of their money is positive or negative and make the necessary corrections.
Are their investments being used to lift people up, or push them down? To enlighten the less fortunate, or keep them in darkness? To line the pockets of the oppressor, or to feed the oppressed?
And most importantly, the rich should always keep the true value of their material wealth in its proper perspective. For as much as money is cherished on Earth, it will never be allowed in Heaven.
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