1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19 A TASTE OF HEAVEN
17 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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 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.
There is an element of godliness in wealth. Although the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (6:10), we worship a God to whom everything in all creation belongs. The difference between blessing and curse when it comes to wealth is our attitude toward it. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Evil is the result of placing our heart, our hope on our wealth. If our present and future are seen as totally dependent upon our material well-being, then we will be subject to rationalizations and compromises in order to grasp at an illusory security. In contrast, if we locate our ultimate security and significance in God, then we will be free to use our wealth in imitation of the generosity with which God has blessed his creation.
Our true hope is in our Christ-given eternal life. That is the only thing in all creation that is worth being grasped onto. Eternal security and significance come from knowing that we are children of God (through acceptance of his adoptive grace) and heirs of the kingdom. Through faith in Christ we know both whose we are and who we are. As we grow in our knowledge and acceptance of the reality of God’s promise, we experience increasing freedom from the bondage to worldly wealth and status. Such freedom allows us to use whatever we have in a godly manner; that is for the spread of the kingdom of God through a generous love for our neighbors. When we live lives of God-revealing hope in this world, we are able to experience eternal life even now and get a taste of heaven.
Thank you, Father, for your generosity in creating the world and in your provision for it. Give me a heart that willingly shares the blessings you have given me, not only in the way of material well-being, but especially the eternal gift of the resurrected life. Empower me to generously live into that hope so your nature and sovereignty might be seen in the world. Amen.