Oh, yeah! That sure is a loaded question, right? Of course, we know what it means to be rich… it’s all about the money and what I own and what I can claim to have! Right? In a technical sense, yes. It does mean those things.
However, there is a different way of looking at it as well….
According to the Bible, our spiritual wealth is where our true wealth is. We specifically look to Ephesians 3:8, in which the Apostle Paul states, “To me, less than the least of all saints, was this grace given to announce to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ as the gospel.” In this statement, Apostle Paul emphasizes his humility in preaching God’s word, the gift of grace that he was given to do so (speak to others, for and about God), the blessings that can come from following God and His Words, as well as, gaining wisdom that can be found in Christ Jesus, God’s Son AND, get this, IS given to everyone!
When we are rich in and with God, then we can use that richness for His good, by ministering to His people through our generosity in sharing our love, faith, hope and comfort with others. Specifically, that means that we can show our love for one another, have our faith in a loving God, know that our hope is in a brighter future, and give the comfort that we can bring to others when they are hurting or needing help.
Yes, it’s good to be rich in money…but are you using it the right way? Is it all about taking care of only your wants and needs or does it also include using it for God’s children as well? It sure is something to think about…
What did I learn from this? As a teacher, when you are paid once a month, there always used to be this worry about stretching my money until my next paycheck. I did say “used to be”, right? I emphasize that because, within the last couple of years, I turned all that worry over to God, and, guess what? I haven’t worried since. I’ve also found that having trust in God also allows me to be more generous in numerous other ways as well through the giving and receiving of love, faith, hope and comfort to others. He’s opened my eyes to seeing His people and the world differently. He’s given me more of a discerning nature to see the good and bad. So, am I rich? In the money sense, not really, but that’s okay, because I am certainly rich in the spiritual sense! (Related post: An Act of Faith)
So, what can you learn from this? Being rich is so much more than about having money. Being rich is in trusting God to get you through but is also seeing others with the same love that our God has for us. It’s knowing and believing in the hope that comes from a loving God. It’s knowing and believing that comfort can be found through His Holy Word, the Bible. It’s also knowing and believing that we have a God who wants the very best for us and that we can trust His path to get us there. That, my friend, is where TRUE riches come from! (Related posts: The Faith-Fueled Journey and A Season of Perpetual Hope)
A Joyful Mission 