Bottom line: Why accumulate wealth?

I find it very difficult to live unless I have at least some money in the bank and a few dollars in my pocket. Money in a modern society is a necessity just like food and shelter. Further, setting aside wealth for the rainy day or for retirement is prudent. The wise and responsible handling of wealth is one of our greatest challenges. If we do not lay aside wealth, we are headed for trouble.

And Jesus said “Do not lay up for yourselves treasurers on earth.” Most of the sayings of Jesus are put in positive form: “Love your neighbor.” “Go the second mile.”  “Turn the other cheek.”  “Love your enemies.”  In this case his saying is put in a negative form. It is a prohibition.  

Almost all the people who came to hear Jesus were economically disadvantaged. Occasionally a person of means showed up, but that was rare. When a person of wealth or position appeared, they were curious but not much more. The rich man went away disappointed. Jesus identified with the poor and made poor people his priority.

Poor people have a potentially destructive desire. They want all the stuff the rich guys have.  Jesus’ advice was “Do not go down that road.”

The amount of Jesus material given to teaching about wealth and economics is extensive. If we listen to a lot of preachers today, we come away with the impression that Jesus was interested only in getting us to heaven. Quite to the contrary; Jesus spent a lot of his time attempting to establish right living here on earth. Handling wealth is a part of the challenge.

Christian churches have ended up quite schizophrenic about money and wealth. They know about the Jesus warning about the dangers of wealth, but how can religious organizations operate without wealth? Have you noticed how often big-time preachers and evangelists end up living in big homes and driving a Cadillac?

Billy Graham was an exception. He never handled or controlled the money of his organization.  He drew a modest salary, lived in a modest home, and left no legacy of wealth. On the current scene, Jim Wallis of Sojourners and Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church (a mega church in Southern California) are examples of ministers that are getting it right. They have access to lots of wealth and rub elbows with lots of wealthy people, but they are models of responsible citizens in the kingdom of God on earth. No mansions. No big cars. They live simply with integrity.

Roman Catholic priests and members of Catholic orders display that same sensitivity to the warning of Jesus. Seventh-Day Adventist ministers and faculty in their universities live modestly and serve well for God here on earth.

It pleases me that there are a lot of followers of Jesus at whom I can point and say, “There is a person who is getting it right.”

The whole world would be truly transformed if followers of Jesus heard the prohibition of Jesus and understood what he was saying. Jesus said “Do not lay up FOR YOURSELVES treasurers on earth.”

Wealth becomes a problem when the wealthy person believes he holds his wealth for his own benefit. In Jesus’ scheme of understanding of life on earth, wealth is a trust that is held for the benefit of others. In the Jesus ethic no suggestion is being made that we should not be prudent in caring for our own needs. However, a warning sign is lifted up to those who accumulate beyond needs. Ultimately we dare not accumulate for ourselves. Accumulation is not the goal. Responsible stewardship is the challenge.

Our beloved America was designed to be a secular nation ordered by law. Under the scheme people are free to pursue religion without interference of government. This does not mean that we religious people should leave our religion at home in a closet as we participate in public life. Our religious convictions may well be the wisdom that a secular nation needs to hear and practice in pursuit of greatness.

In America we have far too many people who pursue wealth for the benefit of themselves. The United States Congress and the President of the United States are hurrying to send us all a check with instructions to spend it on ourselves as quickly as possible. They say it will be for the good of the economy.

I suspect that the better result would be for all of us to give and share rather than spend on ourselves. Accumulating treasurers here on earth is not unwise. Thinking the treasurers are for us is very dangerous.

The Rev. Howard Bess is pastor of the Church of the Covenant, an American Baptist church in Palmer. His e-mail address is hdbss@mta-online.net.