True Wealth: A Biblical Perspective on Giving, Service, and Faith

Time and time again, if you are a Christian you will hear of stories of people who gave up comfort and status to serve God. These days, the frequency by which we hear these stories in the church make them more rear than they have ever been. This almost gives the impression that they are less applauded and celebrated in the Christian faith.

Many years ago, a family returned to the church from mission work in Africa and at a New Year's Eve service, money was raised being raised for them to be able to rent and resettle back in the UK. That night, touched by their story, I decided to give  the only money I had on me rather than give nothing at all. That £20 note included my fare home. I determined that to get home, I was going to borrow from my friends. That night, as we walked to the tube with my friends, I found myself a bit ashamed to ask because I knew giving away my fare would be considered foolish.  As we got to the tube, I received a miracle, I discovered that the gates were all open and that tube was running free just before and after midnight, so without having to ask for my friends to cover my fare, I got home safely. That is how God provided for those who put others first - first the missionaries and then me. 

Yet I know my story is nothing compared to the many miracles God does to bless, provide and protect those who consider Him their true wealth and choose to spread His love, His word in mission and those who support them. In the early church and up onto the 19th century, to be a Christian was to be rich in Christ. And therefor a form of riches. The church therefore, was dominated by good works demonstrating this virtues. As a result, Christians were building schools, orphanages and sending out missionaries to countries that had little faith. The church in fact saw these good works as being the foundation and demonstrated of the faith. In turn Christian's themselves were generous and hardworking supporting the works of the church and taking care of people in their immediate and local communities.

The church eschewed any indication of ostentatiousness. To be rich was not measured by one's generosity towards others and not by one's generosity towards self. This was because Christian's took their cues on what it meant to be outwardly and inwardly' Rich' by looking at Jesus Christ.

The bible put it this way in Corinthians 8:9 (King James Version)

9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

In Jesus Christ we see what it takes to be truly rich which is giving up ourselves for others. I once watched a banker who who gave up his wealth to serve with mother Teresa in an orphanage in India. He described how his caring duties made him feel the richest he had ever felt. He was living in the most challenging conditions passing on his earning potential, yet he felt fulfilled and Rich. We know that there are in fact many ways to be rich. Being rich is in not just a material state. According to various perspectives, the nine forms of wealth can include: financial wealth, physical health wealth, social wealth, intellectual wealth, time wealth, spiritual wealth, emotional wealth, relational wealth, and environmental wealth; essentially encompassing financial stability, physical well-being, strong social connections, knowledge and skills, control over time, inner peace, emotional balance, quality relationships, and a healthy environment. If in church we are talking less about our spiritual lives and more about our materials, we may no longer actively challenge ourselves to demonstrate how we are living out our surrender and service to God. We know that living for God will be both a blessing in spite of its challenges. Jesus described how He sees these acts of surrender and service as actions that demonstrate how we love Him and what differentiates us from those that do not believe.

He demonstrated this in Matthew 25:37-41 (New International Version)

36 "I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Effectively Jesus demonstrated how it is neither our praises nor our prayers only that set us apart as believers it is these actions. In fact we are challenged by James also who stated clearly that our salvation should motivate us to do these good works. It is important to make clear that these acts are works of faith not works for salvation. James 2:17-18 (New International Version)

17 "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

18 "But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

Now research has caught up with the view of scriptures and has now consistently shown that people who do charitable works are much happier,  healthier and fulfilled than those who don't. Research also shows that participation in community has also been associated with increased longevity and good health. Perhaps as Christians we need to return to looking less at the superficial when measuring our wealth. And look for wealth in ourself and others based on what we and those around us do for others and for the faith. That is true wealth proved first by the Word of God, then by church and now by the world's most notable researchers.