Are you Rich?

Written by Billy Ritchie -Pastor in Milton Keynes Christian Centre in Scotland:

One day a very rich man asked Jesus what he had to do to get into His kingdom. Jesus listed off some behaviours which the man had no problem with. Not only was this guy rich he was clearly a GOOD rich guy.

Then Jesus turns up the heat. He tells the guy this:

“Then there’s only one thing left to do: Sell everything you own and give it away to the poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Luke 18:21

It was not what he expected to hear. But it becomes obvious why. Jesus was after his heart and ultimately his heart wanted riches more in this life than God in the next.

One of the problems with us in the UK is that we always think this story is for someone else. Maybe its what Jesus would say to a premier league footballer, film star or city banker. But not me.

As a Pastor at MKCC I am paid well but certainly not extravagantly. I would not class myself as rich. Until I put my annual salary into the Global Rich List. It turns out I am in the top 1% or earners in the world! (So if you are really interested you can work out what I am paid by using the pic above and the rich list. Smile)

So maybe this story from Jesus is for me. So what if he said to me "Sell everything and give it away"?

So often we struggle with him asking us to give Him just 10% in a tithe let alone everything. So maybe this guy in the scriptures who we have always looked down on for so long could have been better than us. Maybe if he was given the option of 10% he would have been happy to do it while every week we can choose not to even give 10%.

It comes down to whose rich list we want to be on.