Yesterday I went to a wedding in Dallas. The wedding crowd consisted mainly of guests from the Highland Park community, a wealthy suburb of Dallas. This is the Dallas version of the community I grew up in in San Antonio. So for most of my life now, I have gone to school with a good number of well to do kids or have grown up in a neighborhood whose occupants are for the most part quite prosperous.
See, the funny thing is, you, or I, nor anyone for that matter, has a choice of where you are born or the family to which you are born, or the socioeconomic class to which you are born into.
Statistics largely bear out that the socioeconomic class you are born into is the one you'll die in. Socioeconomic advancement or decline for the majority of Americans, world citizens, whoever you might be, just doesn't happen.
Sure, you hear of rags-to-riches success stories, even more of them in America, but the majority of people around the world will more or less stay in the same socio-economic class for their lifetime.
If you think about the reasons surrounding and supporting that claim, they make a lot of sense. But that's an entire other post altogether.
So anyways, can one be wealthy and have a relationship with Jesus? Can one be wealthy and pursue Jesus with all his or her heart?
Those are really two separate questions.
In the midst of the wedding and the reception, I got to thinking about this more (I have thought about it a ton already). I have to admit, I had judgements before (and still do) the wedding about people who are rich and how that plays into a relationship and pursuing Jesus.
I was able to take a walk around this neighborhood in Dallas, and I was mammothly impressed by how large some of the houses in this neighborhood are. Not only that, the architecture is really fascinating on many of these homes and I was thoroughly impressed.
It really got me thinking. If people build these homes out of pursuit for glamour or to showcase wealth, in some sort of competition, that becomes an IDOL, and it is false and despicable to God. If people build these homes with the genuine intent of, say gathering a family together, building a community, or serving their neighbors, or allowing underserved or underprivileged people to stay in their home, whatever it may look like...if they build a home with the intent of bringing glory to God, that is what God wants.
Those thoughts have led to some overall conclusions I have come to so far regarding wealth and pursuing Jesus (they aren't necessarily permanent conclusions).
Throughout history, God has given certain kings or the people of Israel numerous material blessings. They resembled in certain ways the Highland Park community of back then.
My point is, I don't think God despises wealth or have a problem with it. Wealth standing alone is a neutral for God. In fact, if anything, it may very well be a sign of God's approval and faithfulness.
Now, the previous paragraph is a very dangerous statement. Please re-read it. It is worded very carefully. It could lead to all sorts of misunderstandings...
What God DOES have a problem with is when wealth is pursued over Him or even somewhat instead of FULLY Him!! God is jealous. I don't blame Him. He made us. We belong to Him. As individuals or communities, how would we dare to put anything...wealth, sex, achievement...before God??
So, back to the idea of, well, I want to follow Jesus, but I have all these elements pulling againt me....what do I do if I'm born into a community or family that is prosperous?
I think the answer is seeking Jesus means getting poorer. It was His example for us.
I don't necessarily fully refer to monetary prosperity. And in fact, getting poorer can be done by anyone who is rich or poor (economically). "Getting poorer" for the Kingdom will just look differently for those in differing world socio-economic classes. Paul nails it on the head:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)
I can't imagine what the prosperity of Heaven is like. Jesus voluntarily, willingly GAVE THAT UP to BECOME POORER! A man of all things!!
So no, I don't think being wealthy creates an impasse in having a relationship with Jesus. There are wealthy people and communities, contemporary and throughout history, who have been great models of faith in Christ, and incredible humble servants. It's not impossible.
However, I certainly think that wealth is an overly dangerous and strong tempation, especially in light of the way our world is culturally and economically structured. Wealth or its pursuit is an alternative life street to Jesus with way too many stumbling blocks. It requires a mature and humble follower of Jesus to possess wealth but have it be a relatively unimportant part of their identity.
Identity #1 is pursuing Jesus with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And I think, that looks like getting poorer by the world's standards.
So who wants to voluntarily become poor?
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