Copyright: Thrive Global
This article was inspired by a recent convo. It made me wonder about that “big” word – millionaire.
Before I start with this article though, I will be describing people not because I am judging them. First, I am no saint, I have my own flaws. Second, only God does all the judging and has every right to do so. Lastly, it is only for the purpose of driving towards my point and let the message across. No offense intended here, folks. *peace* ☺
Upon observation, there are two types of millionaires – the silent type and the loud type. The loud types are those who are very obvious when it comes to their riches for the world to see. There are those, however, whom people never knew as rich and some are heirs and heiresses by birthright because they were silent all the time living very low profiles.
The loud types have all the flashy wealth anyone could think of from high-karat bling blings, designer clothes, cool cars, huge houses, and all the “riches” this world offers.
The silent types, on the one hand, are the millionaires who are dressed simply, mingled with the commoners, refused to be addressed with the title he/she deserves, and live a simple life.
For the latter, I remembered this one incident wherein I encountered a man dressed in simple casual clothes without the “tags” while going inside a 30+-storey building. He greeted everyone courteously and offered to give way to other passengers going inside the elevator. Then after we went out, I overheard someone saying, “Didn’t you know that that’s the CEO and owner of this building?”
I didn’t hear what the reply of the person’s companion was because I was heavily processing the information with unbelief. A lot of questions went through my head like why would he dress that way, how can he become a CEO and still act like a regular employee, etc.
Another similar incident happened at a resort. While touring around the place, we asked for directions from a man dressed in working clothes – all shabby and soiled. We found out later on (much to our surprise) that he is the owner of the resort. 😃
Ah yes, never judge a book by its cover, eh?
I’m just amazed how these silent millionaires prefer to be identified and be associated with having a low profile in society when their bank accounts and assets speak the opposite. They have every right to claim power, entitlement, and authority because they are rich according to this world’s standards. But they did not conform to the standards of this world.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2
This reminded me of the life of Jesus here in this world. He is a silent millionaire too. The richest, if I may add. He’s the son of God and the son of Man but He never lived a life of comfort, splendor, and extravagance just like a King. It was actually the opposite – He lived life in SIMPLICITY, HUMILITY, and SERVITUDE.
Imagine a God serving mankind. I mean, you’ll never even see it in Greek mythology. All gods and goddesses are regarded in society with such high bearing.
If there is one thing that wealth, riches, and self-glory bring and if our souls are left unchecked, it is pride. Pride leads to arrogance and arrogance leads to greed, discontentment, and so on. It glorifies no one except the world, its standards, and its riches.
Then He said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” – Luke 12:15
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12-21
With humility, we acknowledge there is someone supreme who is richer, someone who provides everything we need, someone who is more knowledgeable, more powerful, and someone who deserves all the glory. With humility, it always prompts us to ask this question – what are the things that matter to God?
We are supposed to please no one with our lives except God and this includes our lifestyle. I’m sure your question then is this, “So Tin, are you asking that all of us should live like beggars?”
No, not really. It’s always between you and God and your own conviction how you live your life. It requires asking God if what you do pleases Him or not. The Spirit knows what is sinful in your nature and He will expose it.
If God thinks your weakness involves money and material possessions and you easily get carried away by its sinful nature, then certainly He will ask you to let go of your possessions.
If it is pride from achievements and God knows it will lead you to become self-sufficient and self-glorifying, He certainly will rebuke you in that area too.
On a personal note, I hated the feeling of standing out because I have “more” in terms of the riches of this world. I hate entitlement and biases. Back when I was in high school, my Dad drops me off at school with his company car. I studied in a public school and it isn’t common for public school students to be dropped off or fetched by a car going to school or going home.
So what I did, I asked my Dad to drop me off at the main road and then I’d walk about 1 km going to school instead. Pretty absurd, right? lol My Dad couldn’t get my logic behind that but as a loving Dad that he always is, he always gives in. 😉
Even now, I still have this guilty feeling when I eat in a fancy restaurant or when I dress up too much only to see a beggar on the street dressed in shabby clothes talking to himself, or an old woman who pees on her ragged clothes and sleeps on the side streets, or that kid rummaging the garbage can and someone treated him a meal at Ministop.
It’s that aching guilt that what I can only offer to them at that point were prayers. I felt that they deserve more than my prayers or a meal. I was saved by grace, I know they will be saved too by His grace. Though this world may be unfair to them, God is never unjust and I can only continue praying that they will live the life that they deserve. I am confident they will have that kind of life in eternity. But how do I share the Word with a stranger without being rejected? Yes, that is what I always ask every time I felt this need to talk about faith with those who aren’t saved yet.
There is no perfect answer how we should all live. But as far as I know, the Bible is clear in stating we should all be Christ-like in every manner. No, we can never be like Him when it comes to supremacy because He is the one and only TRUE GOD. But as followers of Christ, He gave us the Bible as a guide how to live pure and uncorrupted lives.
“So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:6
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27
I guess what we can only ask ourselves is not a matter of whether we live like a beggar or live like a loud or silent millionaire but a question whether we’re going to allow the world to corrupt us or not?
My answer is a solid “NO.” And yes, “no” to excuses too. Let us never validate our actions even if they are wrong because what is sinful to God will always be sinful to God.
They say Christianity is a lifestyle. With that in mind, I constantly ask myself: are we really living it out? Or are we too consumed by this world we already forgot who we’re supposed to be living for?
“Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” – 1 Peter 2:16
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-8
P.S.
This is a 1am thought, by the way, written a few weeks ago. It’s an unlikely hour but I always have this urge to write and browse through random bible readings from 12am until 3am. The thoughts just all come as fluid as they can be making me finish an entire article in just 15minutes compared when I write them during the daytime.
It’s the “bewitching hour,” some say. Or maybe the Spirit always come during these unlikely hours? Or maybe God whispered a la the story of Samuel? 😀
Ah, I am assuming and I can never tell but the verse below just popped into my head so I searched for the exact bible chapter and verse over Google. Are you also ready? 😉
“He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever He comes, He will reward the servants who are ready.” – Luke 12:38
The Journeyman's Moments 