Scripture offers strong impression that God means for man to be prosperous. Part of the story is in the wealth of Abraham, and the patriarchs who were persons of some wealth – so much so that Jacob and Esau had to separate after their reconciliation on the death of their father, Isaac, because of the extent of their flocks and herds. Job and Solomon and others were quite wealthy and gave honor to God for their wealth. Bible texts also feed the idea, and were made an argument in Israel relative to the concern of God for his children. Prosperity’s doors, like the weather’s, open on spiritual hinges for meaning. Like most human factors, material wealth may serve well or poorly.
This does not justify the gospel of wealth and success preached by some evangelists. In Acres of Diamonds, the most repeated speech by an orator in America, Russell Conwell related wealth to spirituality and goodness. People were poor because they were bad by which he meant that they were not ambitious and creative, meeting human needs and doing well God’s will. People were wealthy because they were good – in that they met the demands and needs of the people to whom they sold their products and services. There is some truth in Conwell’s point on meeting human needs as an avenue to legitimate wealth, but he distorted matters, even oversimplified, when he related it to sure methodology and individual creativity. Many morally upright persons will always be poor, because they may not have the talent, the knowledge, the energy, the opportunity to become rich. Nevertheless, the gospel of wealth continues in some church contexts. We know some evil persons are rich, and some good people are poor. That informs us about life.
To become wealthy demands a kind of discipline, assumption of risk, and, perhaps, self-denial for a time, to permit accumulation. Some persons may live in an era when there are no margins for accumulation. My parents did not live extravagantly, but they did live during a depression when poverty was the burden of the public, even those at work. Few became rich. Many were godly. Persons following tight regimens did survive. Poverty influenced godliness – up and down.
There are various avenues to riches, one of which is a godly way. It is related to the material and personal gifting from God so that a person might serve. He or she does good things for others. One tool for good is wealth. Accumulation is not the point. The Scripture speaks of heaping up wealth, a dangerous thing to do. Wealth ought to be treated like a gift from God that provides a way for serving human needs. The poor you always have with you, said Jesus. We ought to reach out to them – to feed, clothe, help and heal them. We are not first concerned about why they may be poor, why they may be in prison, why they may fail – we are to help them because God instructs us to do so. They have dignity as human beings, so to be loved, as made in divine image. Through the good done for them, they may find a way to extricate their lives and work through circumstances for ultimate good. We are suspicious of wealth by cleverness, by wholly human design, and especially by hoarding. If God gives wealth, the devout wealthy ought to be humbled, so to thank God. Often the wealthy lose out, not for their wealth, but for arrogance in achieving wealth. Wealth ought to humble the affluent to service. It was meant for service not exploitation or waste. Many affluent persons express dynamic faith in wealth stewardship. It is simply a tool for service to man and God. It is vital to purpose for stewardship. Many wealthy persons acknowledge the duty, and carry it out. In the instances I have observed this obedience there is a sense of obligation, and of pleasure in following a ministering spirit. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020