"Waste your money and you're only our of money, but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life..." - Unknown
I'm not sure if you have noticed, but I feel that in recent years there has been a booming trend online and on media in which we all are, to a certain degree, bullied into getting in a "get rich to be successful" mindset. Almost daily now I scroll through the news and I see news about how "x" or "y" person made a fortune, news informing the "tips and tricks" to become rich, videos in YouTube and all over the place of people showcasing their wealth and selling you courses on "how to be successful and rich" like them, people posting photos of them affording extraordinary vacations and expensive lifestyles... As I'm writing this post, there's a massive movement behind stocks and cryptocurrencies where people are even taking loans and 'gambling' them on the stock market trying to make a fortune like others did or do.
At an almost subconscious level, we're being fed (close to 24/7) the idea that we NEED to get rich, else we are not "cool". The idea that what we currently have and own is not enough. The idea that we all can be as bold and successful as Elon Musk after buying/reading 3 books and enrolling in some online courses. People want to get rich fast. People (and I'm talking in general terms), at least in the U.S, seem heavily involved in thinking about themselves and how to achieve their next financial goal. Many are so into that mindset that they have ended up taking on loans to "invest" and try to catch a stock market up-trend to get rich fast... of course, many have ended up going to bed stressed with more debts than they had some time ago because they were not successful in their investing ventures. At this point I can't but wonder... what's going on?
There's a LOT to say about the pursuit of wealth, the dangers of it, the sacrifices that often times need to be made to achieve "rich-ness" and, of course, the price that more often than not needs to be paid... In this post, however, we'll focus in something even more important than all that. We'll focus on the disastrous consequences that living the "pursuing wealth" lifestyle can have in the life of every human being that follows, wants to follow, or is considering to follow Jesus. We'll study the case of a guy that messed up big time, a guy that more than likely threw his life away for good... all because he enjoyed his wealth and wanted to keep it / have more. We'll study the true danger of pursuing wealth for those who want to serve and follow Jesus.
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The Guy that Messed Up... BIG TIME
As always, as christians and followers of Jesus, our manual is the Bible; the Word of God. Let's read together the verses we'll be studying today:
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
"Now behold, one came and said to Him, 'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?' So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.' He said to Him, 'Which ones?' Jesus said, 'You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,' ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and,‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The young man said to Him, 'All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.' But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." - Matthew 19:16-22
Notice very quick the part I've marked in red in the text above... do you recognize those words: "come, follow Me"...? Can you, from memory, recall where have you seen those words before (in the Bible... obviously)? Let me help you:
"Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" - Matthew 4:19
"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him." - Matthew 9:9
"The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow Me.'" - John 1:43
You starting to get a picture? A careful study throughout the gospel books in the Bible will come to show that Jesus reserved the words "Follow Me" to people in which He saw great potential, to people which He wanted to "polish" in the works of God and prepare them for a bigger mission, to people He wanted to build 'role-models' of as example to others, to those who became His disciples - His close friends. Jesus said "Follow Me" to a very few men while walking on our planet (as recorded in the Bible) and the 'rich young ruler' was one that received that spectacular invite of incalculable value. Surprised?
Well, let's briefly evaluate the context under which Jesus extended such a "VIP" invitation. As soon as the rich young ruler comes by, He immediately calls Jesus the "Good Teacher" which in essence recognized Jesus' divine authority. This man, without having "hanged out" much with Jesus, knew in his heart that Jesus was the Son of God. A faith and certainty that not even all of Jesus' elect disciples had (recall that after the resurrection, some disciples were hesitant to believe Jesus had resurrected and even after appearing to them, one disciple still doubted and asked for proof !!!). This young ruler had a strong faith and more than that, He recognized the importance of God's law by clearly stating that he had, by far, successfully obeyed it. Jesus CLEARLY saw something in this man that He wanted to develop even further. Just as some of the other disciples... this guy receives the coveted invitation: "Follow Me".
At this point, the story kind of explains itself, doesn't it? The Law of God requires us to put God above ALL else (and there's a reason for this):
"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 10:37-39
Quick Note: Humans are sinners and prone to selfishness since birth and by nature. If God is cast aside, and as we witness day after day, humans tend to turn into self-obsessed machines looking only after their own interests and good... rarely looking sideways and letting others grow at the expense of theirs. When God is in the first place, not only we recognize Him as the authority but His law becomes our desire to fulfill. The law which is all about loving and giving. When God is first, His spirit resides in us and our characters are gradually and consistently transformed to think more about serving and less about self-serving. Do you now get why is important to put Him in first place? ...I don't want to take us too much off-track... if you need to talk more about this, feel free to reach out!
There are many other verses in the Bible clearly indicating that God needs to take the first place in our lives... but you get the point. This 'rich young man' had the faith and trust to recognize who Jesus was, he had the correct attitude towards the Law, he had, to the best of his abilities, obeyed it...yet, none of this helped him make the correct decision when it came to accepting the invitation. He rejected it. The guy rejected the call from the Creator of the Universe, from the Almighty God, rejected the opportunity to walk next to the Son of God and truly live a worthy life...and for what? Perhaps a nice house and horse? Better clothes and perfumes? Better sheep and cattle? The guy traded eternity and a close relationship with the King of Kings for temporary, earthly accommodations. Now I ask, where is he now?
About two thousand years later we still have a record of the disciples and the things that, with the power and blessing of God, they were able to achieve. The disciples earn their heavenly reward and are simply resting waiting to meet their Savior and Teacher once again... where's the 'young rich ruler' though? We don't even know his name. His name... forgotten. His riches... gone. His properties... probably destroyed. His body... back into dust. The guy had the chance to have the riches that Jesus had to offer (not material riches measured in dollar amount), he had the chance to make an impact on the world and on history... but wouldn't let go of his fat bank account.
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." - Matthew 6:24 NIV
Friend, brother, sister... having money is good. I will not say that money is bad because is not; we need money to live and survive. The thing is that money, as Jesus stated, can't be a main priority in our lives, else, they'll be little room for God and others. Money was the driver in the young man's life, God was merely in the back seat. He was slave to his riches... and his riches condemned him more than he realized at that moment. What about you? Who's the driver in your life? Is your money working for you and God or are you working for your money? What's your priority in life? Are you willing to trade the riches that God have to offer just so you can grow your savings and perhaps buy more expensive things? Money comes and goes... but God is everlasting. Fortunately for all of us living, Jesus, on a daily basis, makes the call: "Follow Me." Every day Jesus waits for you to let Him be the driver in your life.
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." - Revelations 3:20
Will you let Him in? He does not promises to make you rich in this life, He does not promise that your life will be pain or problem-free... but as weird as it may sound, He does promises that your life will change for the better and that you'll learn to live in gratefulness for His underserving love. He doesn't want you to be super happy in this world to be honest... this because He doesn't want you to settle and be entirely comfortable here, when He has so much more planned for you up there. The rich young ruler potentially sealed his fate on the wrong side... but the call still stands for you. Will you accept?
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21
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Closing
Trust God my awesome friend. Trust in His promises. Trust that He will fulfill them and be true to His words. He has NEVER and will NEVER fail you. Everything you own in this world will stay in this world when you depart. Nothing goes... be sure to build your wealth and treasures in heaven... where it truly matters. I'll leave you with one of my favorite Bible verses/portions... a message that Jesus left for us:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendorwas dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:25-34
Until next one friend,
Appendix - General Remarks About $$
Throughout my life I've met many individuals, successful individuals, that have sat or currently sit in loads of money, cars, fancy properties, and nice watches... yet, they are the most unhappy people I have met. In order to get to where they are they have sacrificed family time, health, friendships, and even the pleasure of enjoying life day by day in the pursuit of wealth. Now, when gray hairs take over and loneliness settles... they have a bank full of cash and little happy memories to keep them warm and satisfied at nights.
Having money is nice... but there is such a thing as enough money. Money is like a drug, the more you have, the more you'll want. If in your current state you are able to afford housing, transportation, basic necessities and perhaps one vacation every once a while... STOP pursuing more money and start enjoying other things in life. Why? See the next point...
There are MANY psychological studies that demonstrate that having more and more money DOES NOT correlate nor mean that the happiness levels are boosted in a person. Money is not one of the things that bring true happiness to life. Having more is NOT necessarily equal to feeling more accomplished.
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