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In a world driven by material pursuits, the concept of wealth is often limited to the accumulation of money, possessions, and status. But what if we challenged this narrow definition and embraced a Biblical understanding of wealth?

Today’s episode is an excerpt from Tim’s upcoming book release “The Good Steward”.

 

Redefining Wealth

In 1 Timothy 6:3-10 Paul expresses a warning about the sinful desire to be rich, which prioritizes acquiring wealth before a relationship with God. We have seen the destructive results of greed. Following those verses in 1 Tim 6:17-18 Paul has a prescription in for those who are already rich. Is wealth always destructive, or are there ways to use our wealth to honor God and serve others? To make that determination, we first need to answer the question, “who is already wealthy?” 

Who Is Rich/Wealthy?

“As for the rich in this present age…” 

—1 Timothy 6:17 

 

You may be thinking, “OK, I get it. Don’t love money. But what about those who already have it? What should they do?” Paul anticipated this question would be asked, and his answer is found in vs 17-19. Here we read the words, “as for the rich in this present age,” and instantly, we breathe a huge sigh of relief because we know that Paul is not talking about us. We don’t have infinite resources, live in a mansion, or cruise around in a yacht. We aren’t rich. Clearly, Paul has someone else in mind, right?  

Paul clarifies in 1 Timothy 6:8 what he has in mind: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” This helps us to see and understand that part of what it means to be wealthy in Paul’s mind is to have more than the basic necessities of life. The majority of those reading this book have food in our pantries and clothes in our closets. We have a roof over our heads, cars to drive, bank accounts to hold some of our money, and many people reading this book even have retirement accounts. 

The truth is, if you have food, clothing, a vehicle, and a roof over your head, you have more wealth than the majority of other people on this planet. Many of us see the mansions and yachts of the billionaires and think that compared to them we’re not rich. Rather than comparing ourselves to the wealthiest person on earth, it might be more helpful to compare ourselves to the average person. At the risk of becoming outdated quickly, the average global household income was $12,235 per year.  If you could are listening to this podcast on a computer, tablet or smart phone, you are probably wealthier than the majority of the rest of the world. 

When we recognize our wealth on a global scale, we can better understand how blessed we are with all that God has provided. In a recent global wealth report, we learn the following:

  • If you have $10,000 worth of “stuff,” such as bank accounts, cars, and clothing, you’re among the top 52.5 percent of wealthiest people on the planet.
  • If you have $100,000, you’re among the top 13 percent of the richest people in the world.
  • If you have $1,000,000, you’re in the top 1 percent.
  • If you earned $35,000 last year, you’re among the top 5 percent of paid workers in the world. 

What could be some other measures of wealth in this world today?

  • Access to resources: The access to resources, infrastructure, and opportunities that come with living in America (or another first world country)—such as clean water, education, healthcare, and technology—that many people worldwide lack, which contributes to overall wealth.
  • Standard of Living: the American standard of living, even at modest income levels, includes conveniences and luxuries that are unattainable for millions around the world, such as reliable electricity, internet access, and transportation.
  • Wealth Beyond Money: The concept of wealth includes health, time, relationships, and the ability to pursue one’s passions—things that money can’t always buy but contribute to a richer life.

A majority of our podcast listeners are from the United States (89%)…and for those of us living in America, we are incredibly wealthy by all comparison. 

Discussing the wealth and income gap between you and the majority of the rest of the world is not meant to shame you…hear this loud and clear!  Rather, we bring it up to help you recalibrate your definition of wealth. By doing this, we find that Paul’s words to the rich in 1 Timothy 6 apply to more of us than expected. Paul is not just talking to the millionaires and billionaires of the world. He’s talking to you and to me!

 

Stepping into Contentment and Gratitude

When we realize just how wealthy we are in comparison to the rest of the world, it forces us to examine ourselves in a new, sobering way. 

  • Godliness with Contentment is great gain (1 Tim 6). 
  • Abiding in any state or condition (whether you have much or have little).. And because of that, we can rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4)

 

Stewardship Application

We’re all richer than we think. 

  • But can you be poor and go to heaven? Does God save poor people? Absolutely. But there is not a single poor person in heaven! 
  • As we recognize that we are all richer than we think we are, as Christians, we are vastly more wealthy than we think we are! Remember, we ARE children of God, being co heirs with Christ to the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. We can be confident and bold as we face the future because we’re not poor. 
  • There is no such thing as a poor Christian. You are wealthier than you think. 
  • Next week, we will have another episode based on Tim’s upcoming book release “The Good Steward” and we will address Paul’s Prescription for the Rich…which includes YOU! So make sure you come back and hear how you can be an even better financial steward of all that God has entrusted to you

 

 

Next Steps

 

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The topics discussed in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations.Investing and investment strategies involve risk including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

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