Most people in the developed world have no idea how wealthy we are when compared to the sweep of human history, nor how thankful we should be for the lives we are able to lead. Instead, we are at best worried about how to maintain what we have or at worst, dissatisfied with what we have and desire more.
By all measures I am wealthy. I worked hard for what I have, but I recognized that grace (some might say luck) has played a substantial role in where I am today. I know that I have won the geographic, genetic, and “era” lotteries.
I have found that practicing gratitude and generosity helps keep me grounded and reduces my tendency to let my wealth draw me away from dependence on God.
It is said that we often value the gifts we receive more than the giver, who is the real prize. I often fall into this mindset, and then I wake up and realize nothing better than when I clearly see, feel, and experience God’s uncoditional love. Life is best when God’s love fills my heart and drives my life.
What is Wealth?
First, I would like to draw a distinction between “rich” and “wealth”. The term “rich” is typically focused on income and consumption.
Wealth is a holistic term. Salih Bloom in the book The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life notes while most people equate wealth with their financial state, there are four other ways we can be “wealthy”
- Financial: Not lacking material needs
- Time: Spend time on what we desire.
- Social: Engage with people and activities as we desire.
- Mental: Not pressed down by trauma or fear.
- Physical (Health): Robust health and access to treatments when facing injury or disease.
There is no universal definition of what it means to be “wealthy” because the concept is highly subjective and circumstantial, and shaped by cultural, social, and personal factors. It is possible to talk objectively about someone’s relative wealth, but most people experience wealth subjectively. For these people, wealth may be best defined not by how much they have, but by how much they feel is enough to live the life they desire.
Compared to What?
Most people who are wealthy when compared to the majority of humanity don’t consider themselves wealthy. This is because people make comparisons to their “normal” experience. Much of the time people interact with people who are of similar economic class, so they think of themselves as just average. Second, almost everyone knows someone who has more than they do. Those are the wealthy people.
For example, the average salary for a successful software engineer in the Bay Area puts them in the top 1% of the world, 10% in US, 20% in the Bay Area. But they are making around the same as their coworkers, and they know celebrated engineers who make three times what they earn each year. They find several of their desires, like purchases a home, out of reach, so they don’t think of themselves as wealthy.
Era of Wealth
Extreme poverty, which is experienced by 10% of the current world, was experienced by nearly 80% of the people living in the 1700s!
The opportunity and material wealth in the 20th and 21st centuries is like nothing man had previously experienced. People who today are above the worldwide lowest 25% have better lives than the rich a few centuries ago.
A “middle class life” in the current world, what many people in the US would be considered being at the poverty line, is largely superior to what royalty experienced in the 1700s. We have climate controlled buildings, health care, a huge variety of food and goods of a quality and nature that couldn’t be imagined two hundred years ago. In many countries we have a rule of law so you don’t have to worry that just because someone has more power than you, that they are free to take whatever they want. The ability to travel vast distances safely in hours which enables us to have incredible experiences.
For more details see the article we live like royalty and don’t know it, which is part of what I hope will be an excellent series How the System Works.
Geography of Wealth
The following is mostly for people in “the west”: US, Canada, Europe. We have won the geographical lottery. Being a citizen in our country virtually gaurentees that we are well off compare to most people in the world.
- In the US an income of 35k (which is 90% of the residences of the USA) puts us in the top 10% world wide.
- An income of 60k, which is what 35% of the US, puts someone in the top 1% of the modern world.
- An income of 500k puts someone in the top 1% of the US
- An income of $1M puts someone in the top 1% of the Bay Area.
Damage of “Comparision” Fueled by Media
I mark the airing of the TV show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous hosted a major turning point. It has been estimated that up to a billion people have been exposed to the shows content: ostentatious spending.
People who used to consider themselves rich were exposed to extreme wealth for the first time. Envy started to creep in. This has become even more of a problem with the advent of social media. People who use social media are bombarded with images of people with more than they have… or at least look like they have more. People curate their feeds to highlight their peaks, if not using generative AI to provide a completely false picture.
I have heard numerous antidotal stories about how access to mass and/or social media moved whole communities from being generally happy and content to unhappy an discontent.
What We Have is a Gift
I often hear very successful people tell stories about they are responsible for their success. That they worked harder and smarter than other people. Whether or not this is true, their success also came from “luck” or “grace”. In almost all cases these people had advantages that they take for granted. One has to ask if they were an orphan, born in Sub-Saharan Africa, could they have possible accomplished what they did. Typically the answer is “No”.
It’s worth remembering the observation “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” – 1 Cor 4:7 (ESV)
I believe the apostle Paul expressed the attitude of contentment that we should strive to adopt
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. – 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NIV)
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
True Wealth
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God — Luke 12:32
Why did Jesus say this? Poverty is in no way “noble”. Deprivation is not good. The answer can be found in Proverbs 30:8-9
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
As we accumulate wealth, it becomes easier and easier to “take care of ourselves”. As we do this, we trust in what we have accumulated. Our security comes from our wealth. Wealth often corrupts character as people feel empowered to go the way they want to rather than seeking God.
Psalms 23 describes how God desires to richly bless us, but we often don’t see what He is doing or believe that He is caring for us. Rather we make our own way and in doing that, settle for what’s second best, a counterfeit of God’s true blessing.
A Challenging Example
Years ago I read the biography of George Müller (1805–1898). George had an abiding trust in God and prayer. He felt called by God to care of orphans. He founded The Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol, England which cared for over 10,000 orphans during his lifetime. What was remarkable was he never solicited funds but relied entirely on prayer. Needs were met through unsolicited donations, often arriving at the last possible moment. Müller had an extraordinary faith in God’s provision. Every day he was looking for God to show up, and God did.
