Is Paul talking about me?
1 Timothy 6:17-21
17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. 21 Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness.
May God’s grace be with you all.
If you own a smartphone, this is probably for you
I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to think of myself as rich. I grew up with a working-class dad who died when I was 14. Money was tight for most of my teen lives, so I am certainly much better off financially than my parents were, but I still feel like I am a long way from being rich! I drive a 16 year old Corolla, my kids don’t go to private school, and we have made a decision as a family not to eat out, except on special occasions, because our family budget doesn’t stretch to that kind of extravagance.
But the reality is, I shouldn’t discount myself from the command in 1 Timothy 6:17 because I am actually financially rich. Maybe not in comparison to Elon Musk or Gina Rinehart, but compared to most of the world.
Globally, the average household income in 2023 was AUD$18,000 per annum.
The average household income in Pennant Hills, where I am sitting while I write this, was $138,000 in 2021, meaning that an average person in Pennant Hills was wealthier than 90% of the worlds’ population.
If you are wealthy enough to own your own smartphone, you are probably one of the people that Timothy was asked to command. Don’t be tempted to excuse yourself from this command!
Lord, help me to recognise how materially wealthy I am, but especially help me not to fall into the trap of being materially oriented. May I focus on using my money to bless people and help me to focus on being rich in good deeds and generous as this passage commands me and all who are reading this.
Written by Ps Justin Ware