Pity the Poor Rich Man

A well-known entertainer once remarked, "I have been poor and I have been rich. Believe me, rich is better." To this philosophy most men would heartily subscribe. And there are few who never to themselves have said, "I wish I had a lot of money." While most Americans, in comparison with the citizens of other countries, are rich, most of them would probably be characterized simply as, "well off." The next plateau, in terms of material possessions, would be called wealthy or rich. Beyond that there is a class known as the very rich, and recently a label of "super-rich" has been invented to fit a handful of individuals. Christians, of course, realize that there are two kinds of riches. Material wealth comes to relatively few; spiritual wealth is available to all. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet He became poor, that ye, through His poverty, might be rich." (II Corinthians, 8:9) Solomon wrote in Proverbs 10:22, "the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it." Obviously, if a man must make a choice, he should elect spiritual wealth rather than material, for "the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal." Nevertheless, it must be recognized that through the centuries God has deliberately made some men rich beyond others in their generations. It is stated specifically that Abraham was very rich. So too was Isaac, his son. Solomon was noted not only for his wisdom but for his wealth. In the New Testament we read of Joseph of Arimathea who lent his tomb to Jesus and received it back after a very short occupancy. He too was a rich man. The Scriptures make it clear that increase of possessions is not in itself bad. To the Christian, wealth may be regarded from three points of view: How he acquires it, how he uses it, and how he feels toward it.