The deceitfulness of wealth . . .choke[s] the word.
—Mark 4:19
Jesus said, “It is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:23).
We’ve been duped into thinking that our inner emptiness is a case of the blues that can be cured by a cruise, a new car, a housing upgrade, or a shopping spree. Marketing wizards have persuaded us that we can beat the blahs by whipping out the credit card.
Jesus didn’t say it is impossible for the rich to be saved; he only said it is hard. His warning about the “deceitfulness of wealth” puts those of us who live where we live and have what we have on notice that our work is cut out for us in keeping our values straight. Where our treasure is, our heart will be (Mt 6:21).
It’s one thing for you to have wealth.
It’s quite another for wealth to have you.