22
Command Those Who are Rich
Command 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. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
1 Timothy 6:17-18
Did you know that you are already rich?
It’s true that we are rich in a spiritual sense, but we are also rich financially. You are already rich, because rich is a relative term. A person with 100 dollars is richer compared to a person with 1 dollar. Simply by living in America you have been automatically catapulted to the top 5% of wage earners in the world, even if you only earn the minimum wage or if you live in poverty by American standards. A household income of $45,000 a year puts your household in the top 1% of wage earners in the entire world. Think about that. Even if you are considered middle class by American standards, when it comes to the world as a whole, you’re rich! With that in mind, we can read today’s passage with a brand new perspective, knowing that it’s us who are rich. Everything written in this passage was written with you in mind! God knew you would be reading this today and He has a message for you.
In studying scripture, one thing you always want to look for is the repetition of words. Whenever a word is repeated, it’s a good indicator that the reader should pay close attention because that word is the core focus of the passage. Today’s verse is a great example. The word “rich” is repeated three different times, and each mention is drastically different from the last. Let’s take a closer look.
The first is a call to those who are rich not to be arrogant or put their hope in their wealth. This is where arrogance and pride often come from, placing our hopes in physical things like wealth. Humility, the opposite of pride, comes when our hope is grounded in God; but pride comes when our hope is grounded in the things of this world. The problem with placing our hopes in wealth is that wealth is so uncertain. Businesses go belly-up all the time; the stock market can dip into the red at a moments notice, and a medical emergency or the sudden loss of a job can lead a family into hard financial times. The wealth of this world is so uncertain; but when we put our hope in God, we are putting our hope in something which has never, or will never, let us down.
The second mention of the word “rich” is a description of the nature of God and how He richly provides us with everything we need. It’s a completely different usage of the word, and the verse describes not just who God is, but how He operates. God doesn’t just provide for us; He richly provides. God doesn’t give us the bare minimum or the cheapest versions. God goes all out and gives us everything we need. He doesn’t give us everything we want, but He does give us what we need. But something amazing happens. When our desires align with His, our wants become His wants. In that way, He does give us everything we want because it’s also what He wants!
The third mention of the word “rich” is an urging for people to not be rich in material possessions, but instead to seek to do good deeds, be generous and live open-handed. The result of this type of generous living is that we would live what the verse describes as the life that is truly life. That is the type of life that we all should desire to live. It’s true, honest, fulfilling, and full of joy. People seek this type of life every day through a variety of ways; through travel, entertainment, adventure, hobbies, achievements, comfort…etc. Paul beautifully explains how the only way that we can find and live the life we truly desire is through the laying up of eternal treasures and by shifting our focus off of temporary physical treasures which will fade over time, and onto those treasures which are eternal. This type of living is what sets up a firm foundation for what comes next. Paul’s urging to Timothy rings true today and is a key to leaving behind the right kind of legacy.
Let’s be people who leave a legacy of being rich in good deeds and generosity which have an eternal impact!
It’s true that we are rich in a spiritual sense, but we are also rich financially. You are already rich, because rich is a relative term. A person with 100 dollars is richer compared to a person with 1 dollar. Simply by living in America you have been automatically catapulted to the top 5% of wage earners in the world, even if you only earn the minimum wage or if you live in poverty by American standards. A household income of $45,000 a year puts your household in the top 1% of wage earners in the entire world. Think about that. Even if you are considered middle class by American standards, when it comes to the world as a whole, you’re rich! With that in mind, we can read today’s passage with a brand new perspective, knowing that it’s us who are rich. Everything written in this passage was written with you in mind! God knew you would be reading this today and He has a message for you.
In studying scripture, one thing you always want to look for is the repetition of words. Whenever a word is repeated, it’s a good indicator that the reader should pay close attention because that word is the core focus of the passage. Today’s verse is a great example. The word “rich” is repeated three different times, and each mention is drastically different from the last. Let’s take a closer look.
The first is a call to those who are rich not to be arrogant or put their hope in their wealth. This is where arrogance and pride often come from, placing our hopes in physical things like wealth. Humility, the opposite of pride, comes when our hope is grounded in God; but pride comes when our hope is grounded in the things of this world. The problem with placing our hopes in wealth is that wealth is so uncertain. Businesses go belly-up all the time; the stock market can dip into the red at a moments notice, and a medical emergency or the sudden loss of a job can lead a family into hard financial times. The wealth of this world is so uncertain; but when we put our hope in God, we are putting our hope in something which has never, or will never, let us down.
The second mention of the word “rich” is a description of the nature of God and how He richly provides us with everything we need. It’s a completely different usage of the word, and the verse describes not just who God is, but how He operates. God doesn’t just provide for us; He richly provides. God doesn’t give us the bare minimum or the cheapest versions. God goes all out and gives us everything we need. He doesn’t give us everything we want, but He does give us what we need. But something amazing happens. When our desires align with His, our wants become His wants. In that way, He does give us everything we want because it’s also what He wants!
The third mention of the word “rich” is an urging for people to not be rich in material possessions, but instead to seek to do good deeds, be generous and live open-handed. The result of this type of generous living is that we would live what the verse describes as the life that is truly life. That is the type of life that we all should desire to live. It’s true, honest, fulfilling, and full of joy. People seek this type of life every day through a variety of ways; through travel, entertainment, adventure, hobbies, achievements, comfort…etc. Paul beautifully explains how the only way that we can find and live the life we truly desire is through the laying up of eternal treasures and by shifting our focus off of temporary physical treasures which will fade over time, and onto those treasures which are eternal. This type of living is what sets up a firm foundation for what comes next. Paul’s urging to Timothy rings true today and is a key to leaving behind the right kind of legacy.
Let’s be people who leave a legacy of being rich in good deeds and generosity which have an eternal impact!