Wealth and True Riches

I was reading Luke 18 last evening and was thinking about the following verses this morning:

Luke 18:24-30 NIV
[24]. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! [25] Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

[26] Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” [27] Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

[28] Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” [29] “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

I was thinking about and researching Jesus' reply to Peter's statement, as this is often misquoted or misunderstood. It is claimed as a promise by the proponents of the prosperity gospel, as a way to lay claim to greater, or manifold blessings in this age. It is also, at times, focused on by those who believe Jesus wouldn't have said anything about material blessings, and could only mean spiritual blessings now, and maybe material blessings in heaven.

If I look at the verses and their progression carefully, I get a slightly different perspective. First of all, Jesus was speaking about the Kingdom of God, and how hard it is for someone whose sole focus is money to enter the Kingdom of God. They are unwilling to leave or let go all they have to pursue Him. The context was the rich young man who couldn't lay down his riches to follow Christ, and it was clearly being discussed from that context.

Second, most of what Jesus lists, other than the person's house, are all relationships, and even the word used for house means much more than just physical things, but includes relationships. So most of what was left by the apostles was relationships.

Third, He was addressing the apostles, and other followers who had left all to follow Him and be a part of the Kingdom of God, many at His personal invitation. This was a very specific answer to a very specific question , for a specific group, in a specific context.

Fourth, what they receive back is going to be the same sort of things they left behind, treasure in relationships both in this present age or time and in heaven. There is no doubt that the apostles found this to be true, as many people opened their homes to them, they had many rich and deep relationships, and they were blessed to see the Kingdom expanded beyond what they could even imagine.

This was not about ownership of new stuff, that was the rich young man's problem. He couldn't give up control, or ownership of all his stuff. That was what Jesus was addressing. That is what we are called to do in the Kingdom, to put that which we have stewardship over, under the Kings dominion and control. If we are able to walk in that, we will receive the blessings of open homes and hearts, deep relationships and friendships.

In the Kingdom, everything revolves around our relationships, and the great treasure is our relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit, and each other. We must be willing to lay down our stuff to receive what really matters, namely relationships. This doesn't mean that God won't bless us financially, or materially, but the focus is clearly on relationships.

Amen Lord, help me to focus on that which really matters, that which really makes me rich - relationships! Help me to put everything else under Your dominion.