The Trouble With Being Rich

Today, for the first time, I think I finally got a grasp on the meaning of one of Jesus’ most famous sayings: “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:25, and Luke 18:25). I don’t believe that this statement was some exclusionary pot-shot at those who happen to be wealthy, or a blanket condemnation that should cause all who make six figures to tremble. I believe this has nothing to do with societal status and everything to do with self-sufficiency.

Bear with me for a bit as I attempt to explain. God made everything: the universe, the planet, and all its inhabitants. The biblical account says that he declared us as being made “very good” (Genesis 1:31)—so good, apparently, that we could just about exist without him.

Just about.

The great problem with humanity, from the beginning of our time on earth until this very moment, is that we tend to think a little too highly of ourselves. We want to be our own gods. We are highly-evolved beings who control the planet, and we believe that our unique human endowment of reason puts us in a position to rule what we may, beginning with our own lives.

Whether you believe that the story of Adam and Eve is history or allegory, the theme remains the same: humans tried to attain a god-like level, offended God in the process, and were punished. Adam’s account may be the first, but the story repeats itself throughout the history of mankind. This carries on today, with greedy bastards of huge multinational corporations wanting an even bigger slice of their already-overflowing pie and thus slicing their own throats. Was God involved in bringing justice to the bigwigs at Enron and WorldCom? I wouldn’t doubt it.

Another story associated with the Bible (though not blatantly stated in it) is that Lucifer, once High Prince of all angels, tried to raise his status even higher and become as God. This angered God, who banished Lucifer (a.k.a. Satan) to Hades with a third of the angels, all who were apparently in on the plot as well. You’ve got to hand it to God, he certainly knows how to squash the hell out of a potential coup!

Countless stories can be found in and out of the Bible featuring people who get too big for their britches and are made to pay. These people all exhibit various forms of the deadly sins: greed, lust, envy, etc. But there is one overarching trait that ties them all together in dastardly union: self-sufficiency.

This brings me back to Jesus’ comment about the rich. Why is it that they should have a seemingly impossible time entering God’s kingdom? Is it because God hates the rich? No. Is it because they’re bad people? Not necessarily. Is it because God wants us all to live in poverty? I don’t think so, although I’ve heard compelling arguments otherwise.

The reason why it’s a bitch to be rich (you can quote me on that one) is because the wealthy don’t need anything. They have everything, often too much! And if they don’t have a sense of need in their lives, then chances are they won’t feel a need for God.

When do most people turn to God? In my experience, most people seek God when they think he will fill a need in their lives. Perhaps they’ve experienced hurt or loss (or both) and need love or comfort. Perhaps they are struggling with an addiction and need divine help. Or perhaps they are lonely and need a sense of community.

The truth is that the church is filled with a lot of needy people—and that’s a good thing. God loves it when we admit we can’t make it on our own. That’s what he created us for: to love him and have a relationship with him. He didn’t make us so that we could just turn around, tip our hat, and wave goodbye to him for the rest of our lives. He wants us to need him; and we do, whether we know it or not.

If we reach a point where we think we don’t need God, then what incentive is there for us to turn to him? For your average person, not much. For your average rich person, none.

All I can say is, if you’re a six-figure type, good luck to you. When you go, can I have your BMW?