How Rich Are You?

Not everyone has an undiscovered $2.5 million lying around like the Whites (who, by the way, are only getting the $974,247 cash option . . . before the taxes are taken out). But most of us are richer than we think. This past Sunday, I shared with our church about a “mental exercise” that Robert Heilbroner suggests to help us (Americans) realize how rich we are compared to 1 billion poor people in the world. To live like they live, he said we would need to:

1. Take out all the furniture in our homes except for 1 table and a couple of chairs; use a blanket and some pads for our beds.

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

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

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

5. Take away the house and move the family into a tool shed; place your new “house” in a shantytown.

6. Move the nearest hospital or clinic 10 miles away and put a midwife in charge instead of a doctor.

7. Empty your pockets, checking and savings except for $10. Use your couple of acres of land to raise a few hundred dollars of cash crops, of which 1/3 will go to the landlord and 1/10 to the money lenders.

8. Take off 25 years (or more) of your life expectancy.

That helps me realize how wealthy I am—how about you? But then again, many may not be as wealthy as they think. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all record an event that happened during Jesus’ time on earth— a “rich, young ruler” came and asked Jesus about eternal life. In the course of the conversation, Mark 10:21 records that Jesus told him, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” The next verse says, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” He had great wealth from the world’s point of view, but did he in ways that really count?

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” There are two places where wealth can be accumulated. One is on earth, where it is in danger of being lost (and where it will be left when we die). The second is in heaven where it is completely secure. Where is your greatest “wealth?”

Furthermore, are you building eternal wealth? Back to the story of the rich, young ruler, Jesus told him that he could get treasure in heaven by giving to the poor. Being rich in good works won’t save us, but it increases our eternal wealth. Sadly, like the man with whom Jesus conversed, many of us are wealthy now but not building wealth for later. How about you?

Look for opportunities to make some deposits in your spiritual bank account this week. Live beyond your means!

Mark
March 1, 2010

Sources:
Eric & Lori White story— www.hoosierlottery.com
Robert Heilbroner exercise— www.sermonillustrations.com 
 
Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)