Do I earn wages only to put them in a purse with holes in it? 526-2 - 1 - 6

Matthew 6:19-21, “19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

First things first, why work to earn wages? Is it to take care of basic needs or is it for the love of money? In economics there is the theory of diminishing returns, a situation in which less and less is achieved despite the use of increasing amounts of effort or money. Somewhere between working to take care of basic needs to the preoccupation of storing up money is the love of money.

The Parable of the Rich Fool is an example of putting his wages in “A purse with holes in it.” Jesus tells of a rich man who had such great "fruits and goods" that he had no room for them. His solution; Luke 12:18, "And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods." However, God had other plans; Luke 12:20, "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is relevant today as many people/ countries have not accomplished the first level.

Physiological Needs

Our biological needs: The need for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature. They are the strongest needs due to mans need to survive.

Safety Needs

When all physiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, the needs for security can become active.

Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness

When the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are satisfied, the next class of needs for love, affection and belongingness emerge.

Needs for Esteem

When the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others.

Needs for Self-Actualization

When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do."

[http://economicrot.blogspot.com/2006/01/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-and-us.html]

Here in the United States many have reached the pinnacle of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. What self-actualization is to one person may be foreign to another. The new Ager's often speak of reaching a higher vibration and/or dimension. Another example of storing wages in a purse with holes in it. A relationship with Jesus seals our eternity in his presence.

Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 12: 21, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

What will it be? Working for the short time wages that expire with our physical death? While it is indeed necessary to be productive and take care of our families in this incarnation, what of laying up treasures in our eternal home?

In reading the example of Rich Young Ruler, why is it so difficult for a rich man to be saved? What of tithing?

Matthew 19:24, “And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Repeated in Mark and Luke, a major lesson to be taken literally.

1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money (G5365) is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 

G5365, love of money, fond of silver (money), that is, avaricious: - covetous.

Avaricious is also defined as greedy, rapacious, and grasping

Applicable verses are found throughout the Bible concerning the use of/ misuse of money. Many are found in the book of Proverbs including;

Proverbs 13:7, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.”

One can have great riches but be a spiritual pauper, and the poorest (financially) believer is an heir to the great riches of God.

Proverbs 21:17, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.”

Is there really satisfaction and in luxurious living, here, wine and oil. How often have we read of the poor little rich girl? Many pursue the so-called better things in life which often drains one financially and spiritually.

As for questionable use of wealth, an example would be the oil-rich Arab countries.

Meet the super-rich Arabs

“Meet the super-rich Arabs whose life includes pet Lions, Tigers, Cheetahs, Chimps, Snakes, falcons, his n' her private jets and Collection of cars. How mega-wealthy Arab men are accessorizing their super-cars and powerboats with lions and cheetahs. Meet Humaid, He Owns Many Supercars and Many Big Cats! Humaid really is unlike any other supercar owner in the world. Why? Because he also loves big cats! He owns a selection of big cats most suited to life on the African savannah including a couple of lions, a tiger and a cheetah and he loves nothing more than posing and playing with them around his expensive supercars!”

[http://phimhotnhat.net/xem-video/video-living-with-lions-pet-wild-animals-wealthy-lifestyle-of-rich-arabs.Xequ-622YC0]

Death is the great equalizer:

Proverbs 22:2, “The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.”

We all come from the same Creator and will all be judged someday. There are no class distinctions that survive death.

Money itself is not an evil. It is the love of money leading to greedy and questionable acquisition and misuse of same that is the evil.

Money can be used for good and for evil. Wealthy families set up foundations that do a lot of good throughout the world. Sadly, there are those such as George Soros who use money as a weapon to destroy countries.

As for the question of the young ruler and why it is so difficult for a rich man to be saved, being wealthy can lead not only to pride but to boasting about what one has done. We could ask King Nebuchadnezzar how well that worked out for him. His pride and boasting resulted in seven years of eating grass like oxen. The good news is that this experience likely saved King Nebuchadnezzar’s soul.

As for tithing, we are really just giving back to God a portion what he has provided for us.