Articles
THE LOGIC OF HUMILITY
Matthew Brotherton (Center Point Road Church of Christ - Marion, IA)
Do you consider yourself monetarily rich, dear reader? I would propose that you are, in-deed. Americans are the richest people when compared to the world. The majority of Americans bring in an income that places them in the top 10% of the world. The global median income, ac-cording to a 2018 Washington Post article, is $2,100. We are rich but are we rich enough to go to Heaven?
In perhaps the most difficult parable to parse, the parable of the unjust steward, Jesus com-mands His disciples to "make friends for yourself by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings" (Luke 16:9). Somehow, the wealth we steward can lead us to that eternal home. But are we rich enough to go to Heaven?
Now that we have the proper view of ourselves as rich and we see that our riches can lead us to an eternal home, how do we do this? Paul commands Timothy to command the rich to "do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share" to the end that they could "take hold of that which is truly life" (1 Timothy 6:18-19). For our riches to lead us to our eternal home, they must first be converted into good works.
I am married to a Filipina, and as a result, we travel to her country to visit family. However, I need that country's currency to take care of our essentials. The current exchange rate is quite favorable in the Philippines. One U.S. dollar will yield 58 pesos. The average fast-food meal in the Philippines costs 152.92 pesos. The exchange rate yields more for our family in the Philip-pines than it does in America. Our Earthly wealth can satisfy our physical needs, along with vari-ous other comforts, and it can provide those things for our loved ones long after we are dead.
But our wealth has no worth in Heaven unless it is exchanged for good works. And dear reader, the exchange rate is very favorable.
Our wealth is made up of all that we own. It includes our homes, our cars, our clothes, our food, and all things of value that we steward. When we use our homes to bring others in for shelter, comfort, encouragement, and to teach them about Christ, we are converting that home from a physical building that will fail into good works that follow us into eternity. Those good works can se-cure us our eternal home. When we are actively generous and willing to share with those in need, we exchange the temporary for the eternal (Matthew 25:37-40). At the end of time, Jesus will recognize our good works and give to us that eternal home. Have you been exchanging your wealth for good works? Do not allow the temporary to rob you of the eternal.
However, no matter the amount of good works we may possess at the end of time, that home in Heaven is still a gift by the grace of our Lord (Romans 5:15) because you and I will always be unprofitable servants (Luke 17:10). To Jesus Christ our King be glory and honor in the church forever and ever, amen!
2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
