Be Still And Know

Matthew 19:23-24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were deeply shocked by Jesus’ words. Jews saw wealth as a sign of God’s blessing, so they were confused by the thought that riches could make it more difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven. They would have assumed that money made it easier to gain God’s favour. We meet a number of wealthy followers of Jesus. Nicodemus is a good example, along with Joseph of Arimathea, who provided the tomb after Jesus’ burial. It’s also interesting to note that the first convert in Europe was Lydia, a businesswoman. Jesus wasn’t saying that it was impossible for a wealthy person to enter his kingdom, but it would be extremely difficult. The problem with wealth is that it draws so much attention to itself. Possessions need to be looked after.