“Be Rich in Doing Good” 1 Timothy 6.17-19

I am reading our text in the Common English Bible.  There it says, “Tell the people who are rich at this time to not become egotistical and not to place their hope in their finances, which are uncertain.” (v. 17a)  I find it kind of interesting to wonder whether Paul is addressing “those who are rich at this time”, meaning that they are rich now but may not be always or forever.  Does he see their present state of being rich as a temporary one?  Or, is Paul address, at this time, those who are rich?  In this case, those who are rich are the ones being addressed at this time.  It is a subtle difference.  But he does say that finances are uncertain.  Perhaps maybe he is referring to “those who happen to be rich right now but might not be rich in the future.”  If that is the case then Paul is something of a prophet for us now.  If the last few years in the United States has taught us anything it is that finances are definitely uncertain!

Wealth may be uncertain.  An older man from my previous church told me once that he retired a very wealthy man.  He said that he retired early because he had so much money.  That was thirty years ago, he said.  Since that time, he and his wife had both suffered strokes.  She was in and out of the hospital many times.  His stroke was not as severe as hers so he ended up taking care of her.  Between medicine, medical bills and hospital bills, he was now a poor man.  But he wasn’t bitter or angry.  He simply realized that the money he thought gave him so much security before was really uncertain.  His circumstances changed and is finances became uncertain.  Generosity is eternal.  Even those who have little can give a lot if they give out of a spirit of generosity.  This man was generous when he had a lot of money and he was generous when he had no money.  He was one of the most faithful, kind, caring and good-humored men I have ever met.  In some respects, I think he may have been a better man without the money.  Life was harder but it didn’t harden him.

Paul here speaks about doing good and being rich in good deeds.  He speaks about being generous and being willing to share.  That was one of the most compelling aspects of the early church.  People would look at the church and say, “See how they love one another!”  In the early church, people cared for one another.  That was done in very simple ways such as just sharing food.  In the first century Roman empire, infanticide was not uncommon.  If a family had a baby they didn’t want (usually a girl) then the father could legally take the baby outside the town and simply abandon it.  This is sometimes called “exposure” as the baby died from exposure to the elements with nobody to care for it.  Christians confronted this practice by collecting up babies that were “exposed” and brought them into the community and raised them.  Widows, orphans and the poor were also intentionally cared for in the early church.  Those who had nobody to care for them often turned to the church.  The church cared for them because the church was rich in doing good.

Paul says that those who are rich in doing good things have a more secure future than those who are rich because they possess good things.  It is in doing good for others that we demonstrate our true wealth.  Generosity is eternal while finances are uncertain.

People talk today about the viability of the American Dream.  I am not sure exactly what the American Dream is supposed to be.  One of my sociology professors said that the American Dream has to do with each generation expecting a better standard of living than the one before it.  I think for many the American Dream is as simple as becoming rich.  For many that used to come through hard work.  Now it may come through inheritance, a good night at the local casino or picking the right lottery numbers.  In any event, the American Dream is typically tied to wealth and possessions.  It is tied to having good things.  According to Paul, God’s dream for us is to become rich in doing good things.

As you prepare for worship this week, think about our church.  How are we rich in doing good things?  What good do we do?  Do we do that good for ourselves?  Do we do good for others in our congregation?  In what ways are we rich in doing good for people outside of our community?

Last week at our leadership summit, I told our church leaders that I don’t think anyone gets too motivated about funding the church budget.  What they do get motivated about is making a positive difference in the lives of others.  I think people give in order to do good, whether that means giving money, time or talents.  What good does our church really do?  Please post your responses!

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