Jesus tells the story of a nameless rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. As the story unfolds, we see the words of Mary’s song of praise from Luke 1 are woven through Jesus’s tale. “God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” In it we catch a glimpse of the upside down nature of the kingdom of God which Jesus is proclaiming.
Jesus is not against wealth, but is keenly aware of the challenges it brings. In the words of C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters, “Prosperity knits a man (sic) to the World.” Disciples understand personal wealth as a gift of abundance, and as an invitation to the freedom of living generously. As the writer of 1 Timothy explains, Disciples are called to be “rich in good deeds, liberal and generous.”
