Why is Faith harder for those that are rich?
It isn’t what you think!
“Jesus says, “Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
- Matthew 19:24
Well, that sounds like they have about zero chance at getting into heaven, at least on the surface. But, it is a warning and the key to understanding your worldly position and what is keeping you from believing and trusting. Let me use an analogy.
Let’s picture a large hole about 20 feet deep by 20 feet wide and 20 feet long. Now, place a poor man at the bottom with no way out.
He cries out for help. If anyone hears him, he has nothing to offer them to help him. He is at the mercy of others. If the poor man knows God or understands anything about Him, he will cry out to God to save him! He knows he has nothing to offer God either.
If a rich man is placed in the hole, he first cannot believe he is in a hole. He figures that he would never be in a hole. It would never happen to him.
But soon, once confronted with the truth that he is in a hole, he begins by relying upon himself. He plans his escape. He tells himself he is smart enough to figure a way out. He checks all his resources, on himself and at the bottom of the hole. He yells out for help, knowing if someone can get him out of the hole, he can reward them handsomely. He begins to think about how he will explain or hide his result of being at the bottom of the hole.
If the rich man knows God or understands anything about Him, he will pray to God to save him only after exhausting all of his own efforts first. He knows he has much to offer God, so he begins with making deals.
“God, if you save me, I will give you such and such” or “I will do such and such.” He never surrenders.
His worldly gains, knowledge and confidence is nothing of value to God. The rich man is operating in the world. He has a belief that no one gives you anything for free! Everything, including love is transactional.
But, that’s not God. The rich man is blind to who God truly is…
Self reliance and self righteousness separates him from God the Father.
This is why a rich man operating in the world will have a difficult time navigating the way God wants us to navigate the world. He wants us to turn from worldly ways and rely on Him, allowing Him to show us how to be righteous.
Arrogance, pride and selfishness are huge obstacles for the rich man. He will always believe that he knows more, believing he is just better than others and deserves everything he currently has. He will never break through these obstacles until he suffers or experiences something so horrific that he realizes his riches can’t solve or can’t hide anything.
It is in moments like this, brave men will surrender and trust God and pursue Him. Understanding how much everyone needs God in their lives.
The money they cherish creates a false belief that you don’t need anything or anyone including God to navigate your life.
“Pride comes before the fall.”
-Proverbs 16:18
The hole both of them fell into is sin, we are all stuck in it. How will you be rescued?
