The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-28
Lesson Text Proverbs 1l-24-sl
Luke l6-l-I3

One Of the greaeSt respOnsl1lll-
ties which can come 70 = Ch-Is-
tan is the responsibility q
wealth. Even the man Of NODE
ate means has many OppOr1uni-
ties for unselfish helpfulness
Failure 10 realize and measure -
to the obligation Of ones posse
sions means spiritual failure
One of the first problems 70 be
confronted IN considering ms
lesson is that Of making n01ev
rightfully. Our modern lie Is
so engrossed with mz1erisllsn
that, in planting ideals and ambi-
tions in the minds OF the y0u-h
of our land, the idea IS gwen
that the accumulation Of wealth
is the aim, while very little IS
said about how this money should
be made. Consequently. there Is
too great a tendency 70 Judge
success in life by the size Of rhe
accumulated pile Of dollars. with
out any corresponding scrutiny q
the means by which the fortune
has been made.
Jesus nowhere taught that the
possession Of money. OF Of wealth
was a wrong OF q SIN Al
through the Bible mention Is
made of numbers Of rich mel
among them being Abraham. 10
seph. Jacob, and Matthew tells
us of Joseph Of Arimathea. Wh0
was a rich man and disciple q
Jesus. Jesus makes no dlStInC-
ton between the rich and the
poor-to him they were snd are
immortal souls who need saliva
ton.
Jesus did teach that the poses
sion of wealth is q distinct perl
and he warned that Il was -eas-
Ter for a camel 10 60 through ne
eve of a needle than for . rich
man TO enter the kingdom q
God. He knew that II was easy
for men to let the love Of MONEY
become the ruling passion Of TIER
lives. We know Of people today
who are struggling and working
hard to- accumulate a great oeal
of wealth. So enErossed are 1hey
in its accumulation that they
neglect everything else-theT
home, their family. society and
their spiritual welfare
While the Bible teaches thrift
and condemns wastefulness. =
also commends generosity Pro
verbs, written by Solomon. VINO
was very wealthy man, reck0ns
generosity as one Of the supreme
virtues. And, when we think e
il, the words Of Proverbs On TINS
subject agree perfectly with the
teaching of Jesus himself Jesus
insisted that the liberal man r.
ceive a personal blessing through
his kindness and generosity and
was a source Of blessing 70 Oth-
ers.
The selection from Proverbs
given US as basic for our study
for this lesson urges generosity
Just as the planted field Il 4
is not properly fertilized and chi
tivated, viii yield poor harvesL
so the grasping. selfish man. Who
fails TO divide his substance with
others, dries up within and BE-
comes spiritually poor indeed
When Jesus said, Lay not u
for yourself treasures upon ire
earth, ne was not CONCERNING
thrift or the desire for personal
security. he was merely forbid
ding the accumulation Of money
for selfish purposes In our CON-
try. there are holders Of great
wealth who are the benefactors
of civilization. The man who Is
able to build factories and pro
vide employment for thousands
of people is . benefactor. prOvic-
ed he conducts his business win
the welfare of his employees =
mind. However. the man VINO a.
ouires great wealth and uses Z
for the qualification Of his Own
selfish desires. with no regard for
society or his own eternal WEI
fare. he If is whom Jesus con-
demned
We should remember a. Al
times that this IS Gods word
that he created Us. that evey-