I Kings 10:1-3, 6-7; Mark 10:17, 21-23; Luke 12:16-21

Success is a worthy goal for everyone. Religious rhetoric, however, often makes it seem that it is not.

This is especially true if the definition of success is presumed to carry the idea of material wealth or social power. Jesus is reported to have had many things to say about the poor and the powerless, none of which are negative. He is reported to have said many things about the rich and the powerful, few of which are positive. The Judeo-Christian tradition has always encouraged a spirit of altruism in relation to the poor. It has always been a religion which is responsive to the powerless. There continues to be much emphasis by the church on "helping the poor." There continues to be much emphasis by the church on "empowering the powerless."

An understanding of the direction in which our faith ought to be taking us is not likely to be realistic unless our historical memory is clear about the attitudes and environment, which empowered our spiritual ancestors along the way. A brief examination of that journey may be helpful.

There is insufficient recorded history to provide a clear picture of exactly why Abraham left his family and country and moved on to an unknown destination. The history we do have indicates that he was neither poor nor powerless. Abraham is important as a perceived "father" of Judaism. His wonderful example of faith is classic. He believed sufficiently in himself and in the resources provided by his Creator that he was motivated to move on from something that was unsatisfactory, for whatever reasons, to something, which might hold the promise of being more desirable, even if it was an unknown. Nevertheless, apart from this wonderful and important example of faith, Abraham was not really the architect of Judaism. The provision of a structure on which that faith could "be hung" was the challenge accepted by Moses.

Elaboration is not necessary in order to grasp the condition of the Hebrews at the time of Moses and during the time when the structure of their religion was being formulated. They were poor and they were powerless! They moved from slavery into a nomadic life in which a variety of dangers were always present. The basic structure of Judaism was not formulated and nurtured in an environment of wealth and power. Quite the contrary! They were poor people with little political or social power, wandering through a desert, en route to a land already occupied by people who resented their presence. Their greatest resource of wealth was the faith, which they had in themselves and in a belief that God wanted them to do what they were doing.

What was it our ancestors struggled to attain in this environment? Wealth and power! Why wealth and why power? Because these were symbolic proof that they were "in tune" with God. When they were without wealth and power, they had faith that if they would do the right thing, God would reward them with these gifts. On those occasions when wealth was snatched from them by an enemy more powerful than they, they perceived this to be an indication that God was no longer with them. What did they believe to be the prevailing reason for their lack of success? Their developing religion taught them that God turned his back on them because of their unfaithfulness to their perception of God's expectations.

That is where we came from in the Judeo portion of our roots!

Consider the matrix of Christianity. Jesus required his disciples to leave everything and follow him. Fishermen ceased being fishermen. Tax collectors ceased being tax collectors. At the least, families were placed on the "back burner" and, if necessary, in order to focus on Jesus and what he was teaching, they were rejected.

Jesus had no material wealth. His power was spiritual rather than social or political. He was crucified as a common criminal, owning only the robe which covered his body. By definition, Jesus was poor and powerless.

But what about those who accepted the challenge of continuing what Jesus had started? They were also poor, having either given up their source of income or were giving it secondary attention because of their enthusiasm for spreading their faith. They were socially and politically powerless. This powerlessness went beyond a mere neutrality. They were persecuted in ways that stretch our imagination. The intent of their enemies was to destroy them before they acquired power.

That is where we come from! Our religious faith was formulated in a matrix of poorness and powerlessness. Do we, as human beings, like being poor? No! Do we, as human beings, like being powerless? No! Because we like the idea of becoming wealthy and we like the idea of becoming powerful, we have a history of always striving for wealth and for power. The Old Testament Hebrews imagined a day in the future when they would be respected and admired by all nations. The persecuted Christians lost all hope of becoming wealthy and powerful in this world and so created a belief that one day God would reward them in another life. Martyrdom thus came to be viewed by some as an honor. But what did they believe God would reward them with? Power and wealth! They came to believe that they would one day rule a new earth with Jesus as their leader, and that the capital of this new earth would be a "new Jerusalem" which would have streets paved with gold. The dream of Christians in their historical weakness and poorness has been that one day they would be wealthy and powerful. How would this occur? As a gift from God, who would reward them for their persistence and faithfulness on right believing and right behavior.

Jews in general have come to have a reputation for being industrious and having skills in acquiring power and wealth. Because of this reputation they have been the objects of criticism, and persecution. Why was Hitler afraid of the Jews? He viewed them as a threat and thus feared them because they had a genius for acquiring wealth and power!

Christianity came to have both wealth and power. How did this occur? It occurred through the conversion of the Roman Emperor to Christianity, who then made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. It came about through the development of a theology that was controlling, persuasive, and sometimes abusive. Christianity gained both wealth and power. The great cathedrals of Europe are testimony to the wealth. The historical indications of the great power, which Christianity exerted in the Roman Empire testifies to the acquisition of power.

Human beings do not just grab their bootstraps and pull themselves out of the mire of poverty and powerlessness. Both Judaism and Christianity, however, have shown themselves to be very successful in moving toward wealth and power. What is the secret of this "success"?

The answer is simple. It is fundamental to what makes human beings different from all the rest of the animal world. In the midst of poverty and powerlessness, there have been those who have been rich in spirit. Abraham was rich in spirit. Moses was rich in spirit. The eighth century prophets were rich in spirit. Jesus was rich in spirit. Paul was rich in spirit. Luther was rich in spirit.

The worst poverty of all is spiritual poverty. The worst powerlessness of all is spiritual powerlessness. Spiritual powerlessness extinguishes hope for reasonable expectations of self-control for either persons or society. On the other hand, the most unbeatable combination is spiritual wealth and power combined with material wealth and political/social power.

Why then does the church focus so much on the poor and the powerless that sometimes it appears this is the reason for our being? It is a matter of perspective and balance. Sometimes religious folks "get carried away"!

It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to understand that if the church had to rely on the poor to maintain its own existence, it would either go out of existence or it would need to rely on unscrupulous methods of extracting money from the poor as it did in the middle ages. When churches are closed it is typically not because there is no longer anyone who participates in the church. The first considerations for closing a church are typically related in some way to economics. Wealth and power are essential to the effectiveness and future of a healthy church.

Material poverty is, within certain limits, relative. Many who grew up during the days of the dust bowl and depression, for example, were in poverty by standards of their grandchildren of today. If families had a roof over their head, food in their stomachs, and clothes on their back, they had reason to be happy. The same contrast is evident among different societies in the world. If many people in the world had the material possessions that many of us have who do not consider ourselves to be wealthy, they would feel absolutely rich.

Being powerless has to do with an inability to have any sense of control over one's destiny. One who is powerless has no perception of having influence in the community. That person has no sense of freedom but is likely to feel totally subjected to the desires and decisions of others. The lack of material wealth and powerlessness often go hand in hand.

Success, on the other hand, as commonly understood in our society, means the acquisition of material wealth. With material wealth comes social/political power that is not likely to be realized otherwise. Success means a sense of freedom, which opens doors to choices not otherwise available. Success means having power, limited though it may be, in the formulation of the boundaries of freedom for the community.

The essence of spiritual wealth and power is expressed in a belief that things will get better. Spiritual wealth and power is expressed in hope. The origin of spiritual wealth and power is not related to material wealth or social/political power. It is based in a faith in the general nature of "how things are." This faith nurtures behavior and action, which typically sews the seed which brings prosperity as it relates to material wealth and political social power.

Success, as typically understood in our society, therefore means the acquisition of material wealth and social/political power. Success is a worthy goal for every human being. Every human being ought to inherit at birth the right to sufficient material wealth to meet his or her physical and intellectual needs. Every human being ought to inherit at birth the right to sufficient social/ political power to provide a sense of having input into the general condition of the community and thus some control over his/her own destiny. Both of these realizations contribute to the joy and happiness of living.

We must keep in mind that it is possible to be successful in acquiring material wealth and social/political power and still not be successful in living. Human beings are made in such a way as to require personal relationships if they are to be happy and whole persons. If one is to receive the most from life that is possible, and give the most to life that is possible, success in personal relationships is even more important than success in acquiring material wealth and social/political power. Too much emphasis on the attainment of material wealth and/or social/political power can, in fact, jeopardize the nurturing of personal relationships. Positive personal relationships are essential to a whole and healthy person and are thus essential to successful living.

Jesus understood this and therefore emphasized the importance of relationships with God and with other human beings as the most important concerns of human life.

What happens too often is that persons and societies become so intent on acquiring material wealth and social/political power that they become greedy and miserly. While it is spiritual wealth and power that is likely to propel persons from poverty and powerlessness, it is greed and miserliness that kills the spirit and thus results in the neutralization of human potential.

In a recent visit with a young man who is involved in the world of Asian finance, I was interested in hearing him say that the primary reason for the break-down of the Asian economy was greed. It is not a sin to be successful! It is a sin to be greedy and miserly!

It was an understanding of what greed and miserliness does that caused Jesus to counsel the rich young man who came asking about eternal life to sell everything he owned and give the money to the poor. It is important that religious teaching explains this kind of episode in the context of the human condition, rather than make the blanket assumption that God doesn't love those who are successful and that the fruits of success be given to the poor.

If one were to take literally this kind of teaching, two bad things would happen. First, the one who had acquired success would be denied the fruit of that success and would thus become as powerless as the poor to whom he gave the money. Second, if the poor are trained to receive "something for nothing," they would be at the risk of relying on this good fortune rather than becoming involved in their own support and the aid of others. They would thus be denied one of the factors which makes us human, and which adds meaning to human life, i.e. participation with God in contributing something to the world greater than themselves. Human beings are made with the need to participate in the provision of their own needs and more. When denied the opportunity to participate, their spirit shrivels and they become less than they would otherwise have been.

There are conditions in life where, because of illness or handicap, persons need to be provided for by others. Almost always, even in these situations, if the individual chooses, the spirit is capable of making some contribution to the community in the form of example or faith, that in fact means they are more than "earning their keep." Even an infant, helpless and dependent as they are, contributes a value to family and the world, even with only a smile that "lights our day."

What is success? It is not either greed or miserliness. That is the message Jesus sought to share with the rich young ruler and in the story he told of the man who just kept building bigger granaries. It may be the acquisition of wealth and power, but not necessarily. In the same way that failure can be determined, not by whether or not we fall, but by whether or not we get up, success is not determined by the wealth we have in investments or the power we have on any level of human organization.

Success is determined by how we invest or spend the wealth that we have. Keep in mind that there are several kinds of wealth. Money is one. Power is another. Spiritual wealth is another. Good parenting is another. Exemplary living is another.

The person who acquires great monetary wealth is not necessarily successful in life. I have known many people with great monetary wealth who were not happy. I have known many people with little monetary wealth who were exceedingly happy. I have known lots of persons who thought if they could only acquire great monetary wealth they would be happy. I have known some persons with considerable monetary wealth, who were indeed happy.

While I would not equate success with happiness, I would suggest that happiness should be an anticipated spin-off of success.

Wealth, of whatever kind, only brings success as it is invested well. The smile of a baby does no one any good if it is not seen. Money does no one any good if it is not exchanged for something of greater value. Power is destructive if it is not used in a positive manner for the good of human beings and the environment in which their existence is experienced and expressed. Spiritual wealth is useless if it is not expressed in functional ways that add value to life. Such expressions include but are not limited to: good parenting; supporting one another in the rigors of life; and helping those who are "down and out" arrive at a point where they are not only self-sufficient, but where they also make a positive contribution of some kind to the lives of others.

What is the basis for this assumption that genuine success is only experienced as there is a sharing of wealth, of whatever kind, with others? This assumption has its roots in a general observation of life that is common sense to us all. That means that it is something we all understand, but the pressured involvement in life often clouds our awareness. Human life does not happen without the involvement of two human beings and the natural expressions of God. Human life begins absolutely dependent. It is dependent on previous generations for the genes that will contribute much to what that person becomes. It is dependent on how the two persons who unite to create human life have treated themselves and thus the genetics that they pass on to their contribution to the next generation. It is dependent on the pre-natal care, which the mother provides for her self and her new creation. It is dependent on the parents after birth. It is dependent on a broader scope of human society throughout its development and maturity. Especially in the world as we experience it today, human beings are absolutely interdependent as they experience dependence on one another in a variety of ways.

Isn't it true that we experience greater happiness and meaning in life as we are aware that we are making a positive difference in the lives of others? This is true whether we are using monetary wealth, power, spiritual resources, or a combination of all three. This is the way life is when life is experienced and expressed at its best.

Not only is it o.k. to be successful, it is desirable. Success is a worthy goal in life for each of us, even though it may be experienced and expressed in a variety of ways.

If we have a talent for making money, we should make all we can but without jeopardizing our own health or falling short in meeting other required responsibilities in life. We should keep in mind that money should never be an end in itself. Greed and miserliness are not virtues. The only worthy purpose for money is as a means of exchange for greater values.

If we have a knack for expressing social/political power, we should seek to acquire all we can but without jeopardizing our own health or falling short in meeting other important responsibilities in life. We would not only seek that power, but we should also be creative in using it to accomplish the most good for the greatest number of people.

If we are blessed with an unusual spirit, which attracts and is helpful to those about us, we should recognize that spirit as a wonderful kind of wealth. The goal should be to experience success in life by expressing that spirit in a way that nurtures the most good for the most persons. This, it seems, is an area which is experiencing need that is even greater today than the need for money and political power. Nevertheless, it is a kind of wealth that is often not even viewed as wealth.

The goal of life should be success. Success should be realized and measured in a variety of ways. If Jesus had any special insight into the desires and expectations of God for his human family, then it can be said that it is God's wish that all his human children experience success. It can also be said that the measure of our success is not what we keep for ourselves. The measure of success, of any kind, is determined by the impact, which the expression of our life has on others. Our wealth of whatever kind will impact the lives of others only to the degree that we are committed to this philosophy of life.

To whom little is given, little is required. To whom much is given, much is required. Authentic success can be just as great for the person of limited means as it is for the person of great means. Each of us is responsible to nurture the kind of wealth, which is possible for us, and then to wisely invest it in the lives of one another.

The purpose of life is to experience and express it successfully!

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