But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. —Matthew 6:33
There is nothing wrong with being middle class as long as the Christian who is middle class is not a snob and doesn't make somebody else feel second class. That was the danger in Corinth; there were middle-class people who treated the poor as second class, and that's why God dealt with them severely (1 Cor. 11:17-32).This warning came not because they were wealthy, but because they mistreated people. If a money problem is not your thorn in the flesh today, remember that it could be tomorrow. God can take it all away from you, just like that!
Are you greedy? Do you want to get rich? God in heaven may be folding His arms and saying, "Really?" Some Christians cannot get ahead financially. I am going to tell you why. God won't let them. He is doing them an enormous favor, because it could destroy them. They already have trouble handling money, and they think, Well, if I had a little more. Almost certainly, if they had a little more they would be deeper in debt. This is the way most of us are. We are, by nature, greedy. Very few people, truly, can handle money.
Matthew 6:33 was my father's favorite verse. He never became wealthy, but he was never really poor. Perhaps you reach out for those things that are to be added, but you have it all wrong. You may say, "If I had a little bit more, I will give more time to God. If I get this much money, then I am going to start going to church more and reading my Bible more." Wrong! You will never do it! Pursue righteousness and godliness first. Take time to be alone with Him, and then all these other things will just be there!
Excerpted from The Thorn in the Flesh (Charisma House, 2004).
