A Word For The Present World.

Paul lays down the Law of the Spirit for his younger protege in 1 Timothy 6:17, saying “Command those who are rich in this present world.”  Meaning order them Timothy, make it a spiritual imperative for the luxuriantly wealthy of Ephesus, and the moderately middle-class of America, to radically restructure their lives as they do what Jesus did and seek what Jesus sought.  “Command them, order them” over and over again, as many times as it takes.  To do what?

One, “not to be arrogant.”  The word means to be ‘high-minded, proud and haughty;’ the attitude of the rich hasn’t changed in 2000 years, has it?  Here’s a little lesson we can take from this.  Don’t think of yourself as better than someone else because you’ve got more money than they do.  At this particular moment, you just happen to be a step or two above them on the ladder of success, clawing your way up the corporate hierarchy.  How self-important.  My advice to all of us ‘professionals’— men and women— is to not take ourselves too seriously.  If you can learn to laugh at yourself with a sense of self-effacing humor, you’ll be much easier to be around.  Nothing in this fallen world gives us the right to look down on one made in the image of God… least of all something as transient as wealth.  Cause I can promise you, you won’t be taking it with you.  That part I can guarantee.

Secondly, “command” them not “to put their hope in wealth,” not to rest their sense of security in life or assurance for the future on the things of this world, of which “wealth” is at the top of the list!  Ploutos means ‘riches, wealth, an abundance of external possessions,’ i.e., material things.  So, let me ask you a question: Why do we feel like it’s okay to have so much when so many have so little?  Where did this ‘entitlement mentality’ come from, this ‘materialist mindset’?  I don’t mean the rest of the nation, I mean those of us here in our Community, those of us claiming membership in the Family of Faith, those of us reading these words this very moment?  What gives us the right to skip over those areas where Jesus talked about feeding the poor, clothing those without, helping the homeless, providing for a brother or sister in need even if I have to sell something to do it?  You want Scripture to back it up?  Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 6:24-36; Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35; James 2:14-17 and 1 John 3:16-20.

Paul’s qualifier on “wealth” is: “which is so uncertain.”  Don’t rest your hope on something as temporal and transient, as ‘here one minute and gone the next,’ on anything as “uncertain” as material wealth.  You might be a Superstar one minute and scrounging for supper the next, a Legend in your own mind one day and broke as a politician’s conscience the day after!  And you have no idea when the crash is going to come.  “Put” your “hope in God…  who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”  Life is meant to be lived, not worshipped.  We enjoy the lavish gifts of a gracious God, we don’t cling to them with every ounce of strength as if they were life itself!  Life, worth, value, courage, conscience, and commitment come from who you are, not what you own!

So, do you own what you own or does what you own, own you?  Better figure it out if you want to walk with God.

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296 | hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – where the Word and the Spirit are one.