Daily Devotion

In 1 Timothy 6:17 Paul uses some strong words, “Charge those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 

Sometimes, we think of the early Church was composed entirely of poor people and slaves. Here we see that even as early as this it had its wealthy members. They are not condemned for being wealthy nor told to give all their wealth away; but they are told what not to do and what to do with possessions.

What Paul is advocating is that their riches must not make them proud. They must not think themselves better than other people because they have more money than the poor. Nothing in this world gives anyone the right to look down on another, least of all the possession of wealth. He also says that those that have must not set their hopes on wealth. In the chances and the changes of life a people may be wealthy today and a pauper tomorrow; and it is folly to set one's hopes on what can so easily be lost.

He continues by saying that they must use their wealth to do good; that they must ever be ready to share; and that they must remember that the Christian is a member of a fellowship. In this way they are told that such wise use of wealth will build for them a good foundation in the world to come. As someone put it: "What I kept, I lost; what I gave I have.”

There is a famous Rabbinic story. A man called Monobaz had inherited great wealth, but he was a good, a kindly and a generous man. In time of famine he gave away all his wealth to help the poor. His brothers came to him and said: "Your fathers laid up treasure, and added to the treasure that they had inherited from their fathers, and are you going to waste it all?" He answered: "My fathers laid up treasure below: I have laid it up above. My fathers laid up treasure of Mammon: I have laid up treasure of souls. My fathers laid up treasure for this world: I have laid up treasure for the world to come."

William Barclay claims that, “Every time we could give and do not give lessens the wealth laid up for us in the world to come; every time we give increases the riches laid up for us when this life comes to an end.”

O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen