Jesus and Wealth

Jesus didn’t even have a place to lay His head.  So, it would be preposterous to think that Jesus would own a Rolls Royce or fly in a privately owned jet.  He didn’t travel more than 200 miles from His home, so it would be silly to think that Jesus needed transportation of most any kind.  He rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey and was buried in a borrowed tomb.  To think that Jesus would be an owner of most anything is a ridiculous thought at best.  Most people wouldn’t own a house that would cost more than a Rolls Royce.  My son and I went to the local auto show yesterday where we saw some pretty expensive automobiles.  The cost of a car is relative to what people can afford to spend.  What might be a toy for a hundred grand for one person might be the cost of a house for others.  And certainly, while there are homes that can cost a lot of money, some people wouldn’t pay more for a car that depreciates than they would pay for a house.  It would be silly to think that Jesus would ride around in a Rolls Royce, for example, yet the prosperous gospel people would have you believe that if Jesus were alive today, He would own a multi-million dollar home, fly around in a multi-million dollar private jet, and then ride in a car costing more than most homes.  Such thinking is silly, in my estimation.  Jesus didn’t even have a place to lay His head, and He gave the treasury of the disciples over to the one disciple who seemed to have a gift for money.  That would have been Judas.  And Jesus praised the woman who had nothing more than two cents to give to the offering plate in the synagogue.  He praised her faith.

I am not impressed with preachers who make money from the gospel.  My thinking is that if you have something of value, it should be given out for free.  Really.  Jesus didn’t charge for healing.  He didn’t sell the Jesus wine He created at weddings.  He didn’t charge speaking fees.  He didn’t even charge for the privilege of being around Him.  In fact, Jesus didn’t make one penny from His fame.  And to think that Jesus would own anything is a preposterous idea at best.  Jesus didn’t charge anyone anything for His services and He asked nothing in return for what He did.  Jesus is probably the worst example anyone can use for a demonstration of wealth.  And I would argue that such is the case of people who had something religious to offer humanity.  They didn’t charge for their services, nor did they charge speaking fees.  In fact, everything that famous religious people have done has been done out of the goodness of their hearts.  Even St. Francis felt that shoes were too worldly to be worn by such a person as himself.  Even the Buddha died penniless, but was revered for what he believed in.  Such is the way of people of faith.  They weren’t and aren’t self-promoters.  If someone has something of value, they share it, if it is religious in nature.  There is never a charge for the Truth.  And if that is the case, then the example of Jesus is the best example of all.  If you have something of value, then really, it belongs to all, and not to a select few who can afford it.  Peace.  I am Brother Ralphie writing for my Angels from The Angels of Life Institute.  Brother Ralphie works from his study for the promotion of Peaceful living and inner Peace with God. He calls this the “Sanctity of Human Life Movement.”