4. How could you jeopardize your being spiritually rich? (Revelation 3:17, 18)

⁴ Your being “rich” with Jehovah’s blessings could, though, be jeopardized by other riches​—money or material wealth. Few of us (whether financially secure or of limited means) would readily admit, ‘I face a real danger of being led astray by the love of money.’ Recall, however, the warning: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:10) That was written at a time when all approved Christians were anointed with God’s spirit as a token that they could become heavenly rulers with Christ. Likely many had personally met apostles and others who had walked with Jesus. If money “led astray” some of them, how great the danger is for us!​—2 Corinthians 5:5; Romans 8:17, 23.

The Rich Man and the Camel

5. What was Jesus’ view of riches?

⁵ Jesus often brought up the peril of riches, for it is a danger facing everyone, those who are wealthy and those who are not. (Matthew 6:24-32; Luke 6:24; 12:15-21) As a basis for personal examination, consider what Jesus said on one occasion, as related at Matthew 19:16-24; Mark 10:17-30; and Luke 18:18-30. In fact, why not pause now to read one or all of those accounts?

6, 7. (a) What conversation took place between Jesus and a young man? (b) Afterward, what counsel did Jesus offer?

⁶ A young ruler came to Jesus and asked: “By doing what shall I inherit everlasting life?” Jesus directed him to the Law, thus showing that Jehovah had not failed to indicate what was necessary. The man replied that he had kept God’s commands ‘from his youth on.’ It was as if he were at the door to life, but he sensed that he was yet lacking something. Perhaps he thought that there was some added good, some heroic act, that would be the final step through the door into everlasting life. Jesus’ response has broad implication: “Sell all the things you have and distribute to poor people, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower.” What happened? “When he heard this, he became deeply grieved, for he was very rich [or, was holding many possessions].” So the man left.​—Luke 18:18, 21-23; Mark 10:22.

⁷ Afterward Jesus observed: “How difficult a thing it will be for those having money to make their way into the kingdom of God! It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24, 25) Was that counsel only for that rich ruler? Or are you involved, whether you are wealthy or poor? Let us see.

8. (a) What was the young Jewish ruler like? (b) What fault did he have, and why should that concern us?

⁸ You may be helped to understand that young ruler’s situation if you imagine a modern equivalent​—a clean young Christian with good Bible knowledge, fine morals, and coming from a wealthy family. You might envy such a person today. But Jesus found a major lack with the young Jewish man: His wealth or possessions were too important in his life. Thus Jesus counseled as he did. You can see why this Bible account is for all of us, whether rich or poor. Money and possessions could become too important for any one of us, whether we already have them or we just long to have such.

9. How do we know that Jesus was not condemning wealthiness as such?

⁹ Jesus was not saying that a person with material riches could not serve God. Many have done so. That young Jewish man had done so​—to an extent. There was the tax collector Zacchaeus, who “was rich.” (Luke 19:2-10) Some anointed Christians in the first century were wealthy and hence had the special challenge “to be liberal, ready to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17, 18; James 1:9, 10) And there are some wealthy Christians today too. They have often given generously to support the Kingdom work, opened their homes for meetings, and used their automobiles in the ministry. Why, then, did Jesus say what he did about the rich man and the camel? What can we learn from it?

10. We can conclude what from Jesus’ counsel on that occasion?

¹⁰ As you can appreciate, it is one thing to begin worshiping God; it is another thing to prove faithful to the end. (Matthew 24:13; Philippians 3:12-14) Jesus may have had this in mind when saying: “It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25) No camel could squeeze through the tiny eye of a sewing needle, so Jesus obviously was using a hyperbole, an exaggeration not meant to be taken literally. It shows, though, how hard it is for a rich man to do something. What? Not just to begin serving God, no, but “to enter into the kingdom,” actually to gain everlasting life. No matter how you stand financially, Jesus’ counsel can aid your thinking, your spiritual progress, and your gaining lasting life.

Why So Difficult for the Rich?

11. How were the poor and the wealthy affected by Jesus’ preaching?

¹¹ Through the preaching done by Jesus and the apostles, ‘the poor had the good news declared to them.’ (Matthew 11:5) There was no discrimination against the rich. Yet it seems that more of the poor recognized their spiritual need and responded to the message of hope. (Matthew 5:3, 6; 9:35, 36) The rich Jews were more satisfied with how things were going. (Compare Luke 6:20, 24, 25.) Still, there were exceptions back then, and there are exceptions today. Some wealthy persons accept the Bible’s message and serve God. The outcome for them can be marvelous. It was in the case of Paul, who did not let his station in life stop him. (Philippians 3:4-8) Nevertheless, Jesus said that it would be more difficult for the rich.

“Deceptive Power of Riches”

12, 13. (a) In an illustration, what point did Jesus make about anxieties? (b) Why do the wealthy face an added obstacle?

¹² In his illustration of seeds falling on different soils, Jesus said that some “fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.” He explained: “As for the one sown among the thorns, this is the one hearing the word, but the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:7, 22) Almost all people experience some of “the anxiety of this system of things.” It is easy to see why that is so for a person who is impoverished, unemployed, or handicapped. The financially secure person might not have the same anxieties, yet even he or she could be quite anxious over the effect of inflation, changes in taxation, or the danger of theft. So wealthy and poor alike may have anxieties.​—Matthew 6:19-21.

¹³ Jesus showed that some would be hindered also by “the deceptive power of riches.” Becoming a financial success can be all-consuming. The millionaire Aristotle Onassis once commented: “After you reach a certain point, money becomes unimportant. What matters is success. The sensible thing would be for me to stop now. But I can’t. I have to keep aiming higher and higher​—just for the thrill.” Similarly, a Christian could find it thrilling to struggle up the corporate ladder. Or he could be seduced to expand his business long after reaching what earlier in life he would have viewed as “enough.” Rather than reduce his work (or retire) so as to become a full-time minister, he ‘tears down his storehouses [or homes] and builds bigger ones.’ (See Luke 12:15-21.) Could that happen to you? Do you think that God would judge anyone in that situation as serving him whole-souled?​—Matthew 22:37.

14. That riches could hinder a Christian can be illustrated how? (Proverbs 28:20)

¹⁴ There are yet other ways in which riches (or the passion to gain them) can hinder a Christian from ‘inheriting everlasting life.’ One is that love of riches might move him to adopt worldly tactics, such as underreporting profits or using other dishonest but common tactics. Or if he employs fellow Christians who are honest and hardworking, he might put his own personal gain ahead of their spirituality. For instance, in order to lock them to their job, he might encourage them to develop a more expensive life-style (or even to go into debt for luxuries). And since he is their boss, this relationship might tend to carry over into congregational dealings.

15. How may some early Christians have felt the harmful effects of riches? (Psalm 73:3-8, 12, 27, 28)

¹⁵ Some wealthy Christians in the first century may have been among those who fell victim to “the deceptive power of riches.” James wrote of ‘the miseries coming upon you rich men.’ They owned costly garments, had accumulated gold and silver by underpaying employees, and had grown fat in luxury. (James 5:1-5) It is similar today. Wealth often permits a person to have rich food and drink that may damage his body. It may also allow for constant travel that separates him from the local congregation. This is not to say that nice clothes, jewelry, food, and travel are in themselves harmful. However, the “rich men” that James wrote about were not helped by such; with their low spirituality and standing before God, they had reason to ‘weep, howling over the miseries that were coming.’

16. Why did Jesus offer such clear counsel about riches, and what should you ask yourself?

¹⁶ Jesus certainly knew of the pain and the obstacles to spirituality that the wealthy often experience. He knew also that valuables may rot literally or turn out to be worthless, which will never happen to Christian riches. (Proverbs 11:28; Mark 10:29, 30) Hence, Jesus was doing all of us a genuine service by warning: “How difficult a thing it will be for those having money to make their way into the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24) His warning can benefit us even if we have very limited resources. How? By our stifling any ambition that we have to become wealthy now. Christians believe that Jesus spoke truth. We believe and live by what Jesus said about his Father, about the end of this system, and about cultivating love. This Truth-Speaker also said: “It is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24)

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Wealth and the Family

WHEN thinking about the potential effects of wealth, do not overlook your family. Consider these items:

From Canada comes a report from psychiatrists who had studied the children of the superrich: “Life bores them. They have no goals other than pleasing themselves and cannot tolerate even the smallest frustration. They feel few emotions of any kind. Their main pursuits are buying things, traveling, and searching out new sources of excitement.”

The New York Times commented on a former millionaire: “As he became more successful in business and gained wealth, he says he saw his family change. ‘My wife and daughter would measure people by the money they had, and if I gave one daughter a $300,000 home I’d have to give the other daughter $300,000 in cash.’” After suffering a heart attack, “plus seeing what wealth had done to his wife and children,” he changed his way of life.

Concerning an oil-rich land in the Middle East, Arnold Hottinger observed: ‘Wealth as pathology is something also familiar to the many foreign physicians who come here to earn high incomes. Nowhere, they report, are psychosomatic ailments as common as here​—ailments which cause genuine suffering but are not caused by any demonstrable failing in the physical organism. There are, they say, young people who give every sign of being elderly, and old people who behave like juveniles.’