The Parchment 13-Aug-00: Hard for a Rich Man

After the "rich young ruler" walked away from Jesus "for he had great possessions" (Matt. 19:22) because he was unwilling to place Jesus before his riches, Jesus said this: "It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The Lord went on to say, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," (Matt. 19:23–24). This ought to cause each of us to evaluate whether we are the ones Jesus meant.

Most Americans believe that the rich are men like Bill Gates or other multi-billionaires. We cannot imagine that ordinary people like you and me might be the very ones Jesus had in mind when he said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." But compared to the rest of the world, Americans (including American Christians) are extremely wealthy.

From the standpoint of material wealth, Americans have difficulty realizing how rich we are. A little mental exercise suggested by Robert Heilbroner can help us see things the way they really are. Imagine doing the following, and you will see how daily life is for as many as a billion people in the world:

1. Take out all the furniture in your home except for one table and a couple of chairs. Use blanket and pads for beds.

2. Take away all of your clothing except for your oldest dress or suit, shirt or blouse. Leave only one pair of shoes.

3. Empty the pantry and the refrigerator except for a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt, a few potatoes, some onions, and a dish of dried beans.

4. Dismantle the bathroom, shut off the running water, and remove all the electrical wiring in your house.

7. Cancel all subscriptions to newspapers, magazines, and book clubs. This is no great loss because now none of you can read anyway.

9. Move the nearest hospital or clinic ten miles away and put a midwife in charge instead of a doctor.

10. Throw away your bankbooks, stock certificates, pension plans, and insurance policies. Leave the family a cash hoard of ten dollars.

11. Give the head of the family a few acres to cultivate, on which he can raise a few hundred dollars of cash crops, of which one third will go to the landlord and one tenth to moneylenders.

Riches alone do not define our character. We can still be faithful Christians and be wealthy. It is the love of these riches that keep us from serving the Lord. Paul warned in 1 Tim. 6:10, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves though with many sorrows."

So the next time you read about how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, the best thing to do is take a look at what you own and then ask do you really own these things -- or do they own you?