I'm Already Rich!

I Timothy 6:6 godliness with contentment is great gain

We’ve just come out of an era of excess, bling bling, spinners, gold teeth, mansions, and as the Lost Boyz sang, the coupes, the Lexus, and the Benz. We were hypnotized into believing in the “American Dream’ driven by capitalism and financed by debt that suffocated us into bankruptcy and foreclosures. We were like a hamster on a wheel chasing riches that eluded us because it is God who gives us the ability to get wealth. Even King Solomon, the wealthiest man of all times, gave good advice about contentment versus riches:

Proverbs 30:8-9
Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘who is the Lord?’ or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Paul follows Solomon up by telling young Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. We are already rich when we have God’s providential love for us. When people from third world countries or even neighboring countries like Haiti or Mexico come to the United States they are surprised at our wealth in even the poorest areas of America. Some of our ghettos are like the suburbs compared to their impoverished living conditions.

If we have food and clothing we will be content with that. I Timothy 6:8
Even when we were “poor” my mother always kept us fed and clothed. As a child I was rich with love because of my provision from my parents. We never knew we were poor until we grew up and was able to compare ourselves to the materialistic standards set by a capitalistic culture.

Today, thank God for what you already have; food, clothing, and shelter. If you have these you are already richer than the majority of the world.

Dear God, shift our paradigm to what true riches are. And if we are blessed to live beyond our daily bread and experience great wealth then let us follow Paul’s advise to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, we will lay up treasure as a firm foundation for the coming age. So that we may take hold of the life that is truly Life.

In Jesus Name,
Amen