Striving to be Rich and on Top?

Again, this thread is opened up for healthy discussion among the SI members.

How many of you think Christians should be rich? Even if it is not about having bucket loads of money in the bank account, should Christians be the best in things that they do?

For instance, best employee in the company, top selling real estate agent, best financial advisor or whatever you name it.

Even we don't strive to be rich, I truly think we shall be on top on things that we do so that we can glorify the Lord's name.

What do you think?

Very good question. A Christian is called to be beyond reproach. It really pains and grieves my heart when my boss finds mistakes with my job that I could have avoided if I have showed little more care. But by God's grace such things rarely happen in my workplace, not that I always give my best, but I have this desire to give best and I believe God respects that.

For instance, best employee in the company, top selling real estate agent, best financial advisor or whatever you name it.

There is nothing wrong in Christian being the best. But he should not strive to be called the best. A Christian should not have competitive spirit that worldly Christians have. The fact that we have competitive spirit shows that we work for human masters and not for heavenly masters (Col 3-23).

It used to bother me before when I do not get good appraisal. I once won a major project for my company. I thought I will get the highest rating but I got the lowest rating that I have got in all my career. It was not lowest possible rating but low by the standard I set. I was depressed and I wrote a harsh email to my management stating that they have not credited me enough.

But those are the times when I was not strong in faith. I now know that my reward is from Jesus and not from Management. God is my appraiser. He knows how much salary I should get and when I needs to be promoted. It is my prayer that neither getting the highest nor the lowest appraisal should ever bother me.

Our Job, Salary, Business or Bank Balance should never take the place of Jesus in our heart.

I hope this answers your question.

I agree with with just-in and spree, I think just by striving toward excellence you can not help but get ahead, however that may not translate into money, position or whatever. I do believe it will benefit us as individuals and place us in a position to minister to those around us.

Never forget what a dear sister in Christ told me once, she said, "God does not care how much money you have in your check book as long as He can write a check for as much as he needs and when ever He needs it". I have always liked that, it's not an easy road to walk to be sure, but there have been times when I have been the recipient of the obedience of others, a word spoken, a gift of helps, a prayers...and so on...

And I know that I addressed 2 kinda different things, but it is sometimes tough because our human nature wants to place a value on things and money and position seem to be the plumbline we use, I have always believed that some day when I get to heaven I will find out that it was the weakest and poorest among us that had the most powerful effects in the world.

acarrollfan,

Good topic for meditation.

Two things come to mind:
1) Riches and power are not sinful in themselves, but they bring temptations that are deadly if not kept in check (1 Timothy 6:9-10, Luke 18:24-25).
2) The real question is, "What are we doing with our riches and with our power?" (1 Timothy 6:17, James 1:9-10, Acts 10:2)

May God bless you richly,
In Christ,
Renoncer

I watched a historical documentary about Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller. The show was all about their great and vast wealth as well as their rivalry with one another. It would seem that even though both men were very wealthy it was not enough. They each wanted to out do the other. Pride perhaps? or maybe just a desire to be known as the richest man might have played a part? As I watched the show I remember thinking it doesn't matter if your dirt poor and have nothing, or if you have millions in your bank account, sin is sin and all fall short the glory of GOD. No one is immune.

I do agree with what Renoncer said,"2) The real question is, "What are we doing with our riches and with our power?" (1 Timothy 6:17, James 1:9-10, Acts 10:2)"

This has been the question on my heart more and more. First I need to remember its not my money its HIS and second I need to be mindful of what HE wants me to do with it and then submit to walking that out.

Thank you everyone for sharing what your seeing on this topic.

God bless
maryjane

I strive to be the best employee I can be for this reason: I must be above reproach so that when I tell them of the Gospel they cannot ignore it based on my actions.

As far as being rich is concerned: I would tell the rich and poor the same thing--make this life count for eternity. Build up treasures in heaven. A rich man can use his wealth to do that just as a poor man can use his labor and talents.

A thought came to me the other day. I was thinking about the great money-lust that is in us, ever yearning for far beyond that which is needed to survive and live comfortably in our element. Of comparing our salaries with others' salaries and the awe (and secret envy) we feel when we read about the astronomical net worth of certain men and women in Forbes.

I don't believe any man on his death bed ever had regrets that he didn't make enough money in his lifetime. Because at the moment, his money is absolutely worthless, apart from being passed down to his posterity for arranging his funeral. Any money regrets at that moment would be the total opposite: that he didn't give enough of what he already had to God's kingdom while he could. After all, God has allotted us all a certain amount of money in life, and we all have the supreme privilege to give to the cause of Christ and thus invest in true riches that shall never be taken away or diminish in value.

We should always keep this in mind (I say this for myself), especially when we start swallowing the grand sham that this wicked world, with all its deceitful advertising and flesh-marketing is all there is. It is not. It is all but an illusion - the vaporous antechamber which leads into the reality of eternal consequence - a mere heartbeat away.

I was reading a survey that zeroed in on people who were accomplished in a wide range of fields. They were asked several questions, one of them was their number 1 regret as they pursued success in their field. If remember correctly almost 80% named lack of quality time with loved ones and family as their number 1 regret.

This tree has a lot of branches! The first and most important is the trunk, where we know that we will be most content allowing God to be all-sufficient for our needs. "Give us this day our daily bread" suggests that a daily reliance on Him is the proper way to live, the prayer instruction was not for weekly or monthly bread.

The worst part of being rich is living in some illusion that God is nice, but I don't need Him at the moment."

That said, God's character and the scriptural instruction is toward excellence, and excellence tends to produce wealth. God is not afraid of that, and my observation has been that when humble men have great riches and a heart for intimacy with God, many are thus blessed. There are men who seek first the Kingdom of God, and the world's goods have been added to their charge.

As in the parable of the master charging his servants to wisely invest the minas, when the accounting was done and the one mina was taken from the unfaithful servant, the master commanded it be given to the one with the 10 minas. (Over the objections of the democrats in the audience I might add!)

As a businessman, I learned long ago that excellence is the foundation to success. This requires work, careful attention, grace to cope with failure, and tenacity to continue with excellence when success comes. The wealth has enabled me to meet my family's needs without relying on others, to give to those in need, and to live in constant gratitude to God who has given me the tools to do all this.

Don't get too excited- most of the wealth went to taxes...

Another branch of the discussion tree might be the way socialist policies deplete and discourage wealth. The top of the socialist ladder is mediocrity at best, since individuals are not allowed to keep any of the wealth they generate. The result is the growth of debt and a host of other problems until one day the wealth is truly gone and we deal with social collapse. Got any money in a Cyprus bank??

For me, I cultivate an attitude that wealth is good- both for me and for you. I want my customers to have wealth- or I am out of business. I want others to have wealth so that
they can enjoy the honor and peace that comes with human success.

Wealth is good, as are many things from God that can be twisted into something evil. Idolatry has many delicious forms!

Thank you for everyone's great input.

I truly believe money is neutral and we are the steward of God's resources including money. Money is not a sin in itself but the love of money is evil.

In light of "...and having food and raiment let us be therewith content...", I believe it is prudent to take any thought captive that provokes us to aspire otherwise.

Just-in,

I think PaulWest was quoting from the following passage:

"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."
(1 Timothy 6:6-19)

I don't think he was quoting Jesus. But, please correct me if I'm wrong.

In Christ,
Renoncer

hi brethren

im surprised that I haven't herd any one quot paul on this

when he said ;;;;those who desire to be rich fall into the snare OF THE DEVIL and are stabed with many sorrows

any christen with the desire to be rich ,is already caught ,,a root of covetus is imbeaded in his heart ,and he will fall with out repentence

his desire is to contradict jesus when he says I will store up treasures on the earth

his heart is where his money is

in his poket
in his bank
in his shares
in his house
in his car

every where but in Christ

the prosperity gospel is the devils cream cake ,that he offers the world

when one eats this cake ,he falls down on his face in worship of the devil SNARED

WHAT does it profit a man
if he gains the whole world
AND LOSSES HIS SOUL