The Four Woes: The Rich (Luke 6:24-26)

Luke records Jesus speaking a different set of warnings.... this is the first...

Luke 6:24-26   24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  

You probably don't consider yourself rich.  Most people don't. USA today surveyed a group of millionaires.  They defined being rich to be when you have over $7.5 million in assets.  The present administration sets the bar not by what you have saved, but by what you bring in yearly.  You need to have $250,000 a year coming in to be considered wealthy (and more heavily taxable).  If you bring in more than $250,000 a year, you are in the top 5% of Americans.  Yet, a group of people who bring in $250,000 a year were surveyed by CNN.  They didn't feel rich - and CNN mockingly dubbed them "the working rich."

Basically, people do not consider themselves "rich" until they have enough money to have everything they want without working for it.  I wonder how Jesus defined rich?  Well, he doesn't put a dollar amount on it.  According to Jesus' teachings, the rich are those who choose to indulge themselves while others are in need.  By that definition, are you rich?

Dealing with money is the biggest trial most of us will ever face.  And we face it every time we earn a dime.  Will I take that dime and spend it on luxuries for myself or will I use it for those in physical and spiritual need?  And what constitutes a luxury?

And that logic says it is okay to put my needs first and if there is left over to take care of others.  What if I take seriously the teaching to put others before myself?

Woe to those of us who have indulged ourselves while others are in need.  We've gotten all we are going to get.  And P.S. we've not gotten the spiritual blessings we would have gotten if we had given to those in need.