We cannot see inside anyone’s heart…
Since we cannot see inside a person’s heart, we shouldn’t worry about trying to decide who they are or how they got their wealth. Instead, we see that throughout the scriptures we are told to love one another, regardless of who or what we think they might be.
An old testament teaching about our attitude toward others
It is often difficult to keep a proper perspective on things. In my own life, when my family and I have experienced financial difficulties, it is easy to criticize others. It is easy to question the Lord and become angry at those who seem to have enough to meet their needs and more. It took me a while to understand the message the Lord was trying to teach me. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:18). I do not have the right to let myself focus on what I think is unfair in life. As a Christian, I cannot despise someone else because I believe they have more than I do.
Within the minor prophets, another verse also reinforces the way the Lord wants us to relate with others. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD (Zechariah 8:17). We are to love others as we love ourselves. And one of the things the Lord hates is when we have evil thoughts about others – even when they are what we consider wealthy.
The Old Testament Teaching in the New Testament
Many of what Christians hold to be sound doctrine originate from the Old Testament. Back when I was younger, I come to realize that when my parents said the same thing twice – I better pay attention. While it is true Christians are under grace, I do not believe it excuses us from living in a way displeasing to the Lord. One could literally do an entire Bible study on the verses of the New Testament about loving our neighbor. But for this study, two come to mind.
In the gospel of Matthew there is a story of Jesus being asked which is the greatest commandment. He paraphrases the Ten commandments into two. The first is to love the Lord with all our being. The second, as Jesus shares, And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Matthew 22:39).
In case the meaning of the verse needs any clarifying, Paul provides it. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10). If we want to walk closer with the Lord we need to love our neighbor. That word, in the sense it is used, is not the person that lives next door to us. That word has another meaning in the English language which is “any person in need of one’s help or kindness…”1 As Christians, we are told to treat everyone as we want to be treated and to love them as Christ has loved us.
If we truly love our neighbor according to the Lord’s standard…
If we truly love our neighbors according to the standard given to us by the Lord, we should be able to rejoice with those whom He has blessed financially. Within the writings of Paul, we see he often reminds the believer of this very thing. We aren’t supposed to let our envy get the best of us. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep (Romans 12:15). Nowhere in this verse does it say “unless they are wealthy…” Yet too many of us fret about the wealth and financial position of others around us.
One of the reminders of an unchecked attitude is found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (1 Corinthians 12:25-27). Our very attitude towards those who are wealthy can create serious issues within our church family. It can lead to a division forming within the church. We can also damage the church’s reputation within the community we serve. In either case, our attitude towards the wealthy can be as toxic to the church body as the teaching of false doctrines.
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