Riches for the poor and weak

Some disdain religion by saying it just gives life meaningful (albeit naïve) structure for people who are largely poor and uneducated. At some points this view connects with Christian teaching. One New Testament writer asks, ‘Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?’ Another New Testament writer presses the point even more: ‘God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised…’

We are meant to interpret such teaching as a warning. We may think we have it all together, that we are reasonably comfortable and secure; in other words, self-sufficient. If we do, then God and his purposes for us may be of little interest and something of an unwanted intrusion into our lives.

Jesus tells a story about a rich farmer who was prospering and expanding his business and who said, ‘…I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’. But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ Jesus explains, ‘This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God’.

To be rich towards God means firstly to recognise our spiritual poverty and weakness before a perfect God and to welcome his Son, Jesus, who graciously wills to forgive us for sidelining him. Secondly, now that we can be assured of being in a right relationship with God, we can afford to be rich towards him with things that he values and delights in; things such as our humility, trust, heartfelt gratitude and a desire to honour him as our God. The result is joy all round.