Distracted by Abundance
Wealth can potentially distract us from the most important things in life.
I live in a part of the world that has, relative to other countries, an abundance when it comes to material wealth and possessions. It's not uncommon here to see large homes, luxury cars, and designer-branded clothing. Some people see these material possessions as "blessings" from God. Perhaps they might be considered "blessings" from God or perhaps they aren't. The Lord will reveal all things in time. However, what's clear in Scripture is that it would be quite unfair to conclude that those with little material wealth are not blessed by God. If anyone reads through the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5, one could hardly argue that God is in the business of blessing wallets and bank accounts.
In fact, an abundance of wealth and possessions can actually be a distraction from following Christ with all our hearts. The story of the rich young man found in Mark 10:17-31 comes to mind. Jesus invited this rich man to give away his wealth to the poor and follow Him as one of His disciples. However, the man refused the invitation "for he had great possessions" (Mark 10:22 ESV). Jesus then delivered an insight that would make any of us question whether material wealth is considered a blessing or a curse: "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:23). There's a warning here about having an abundance of wealth and possessions to take seriously. Wealth can potentially distract us from the most important things in life: our relationship with Christ and our participation in God's Kingdom.
There's nothing inherently wrong with money. We require money to purchase what we need in life. That's just how our world works today. But the pursuit of money and possessions can easily become our life's goal rather than following Christ—living for Him and serving Him. With all the things that money can buy, it can become so easy to be distracted from obeying Christ and serving Him. In fact, that was the warning that Moses gave to the Israelite people regarding having an abundance. Having an abundance of stuff could distract them from serving God in the end. Moses warned them with these words: "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things" (Ex. 28:47 ESV). Notice how the Israelites would stop serving the Lord with all their hearts because of the abundance of all things. Having lots of money can allow us to buy a lot of things in this world. But if we're not careful, it can quickly distract us from the most important thing: Jesus and His Kingdom.
So, although we need money to live, we shouldn't make chasing wealth and possessions the reason for why we live. God has a bigger plan and agenda for our lives than us becoming rich and living luxuriously. Therefore, we each need to consider how we can live much simpler lives so that we have more time to spend with the Lord in prayer and serve Him in His Kingdom work.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
