The Privilege of the Rich

For reasons often difficult to comprehend individuals, groups, even entire societies developed a disdain for the rich. It’s an interesting phenomenon among us, humans, because given the choice to be richer than we currently are each of us would choose to be richer. It’s indeed interesting and even disturbing.

​This pursuit of undermining the rich even developed into a political system - Communism - which wreaked havoc across the world during the twentieth century. But this isn’t just some political contriving to dominate large groups of people, other political systems conquered and oppressed people. Actually, the disdain for the rich exists in many of us, perhaps in all of us to some degree. This human experience is present in the Bible also. There are some who would accuse Jesus Christ of discriminating against the rich based on His statement from the St. Luke’s gospel (18:25) “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” One chapter further St. Luke relates the story of Zacchaios (Luke 19:1-10) where we see a rich man given a great blessing. Of course, this rich man is a shining example of searching for the Lord Jesus and opening his heart and his family home to welcome Him. 
I firmly believe the Lord Jesus isn’t at all concerned with our earthly net worth, rather with our hearts, minds, and lives in relation to everything we earn and spend. The renewed Zachaios considered it a privilege to be able to share his wealth with those in need. Being poor or rich doesn’t affect our salvation. The rich, just like the poor, are called to holiness through love, repentance, compassion, and charity. This is how our lives are deemed worthy of the kingdom of God.