IT’S ALL the talk: “economic downturn”, “credit crunch”, “recession”. Times are hard – businesses going bust, numbers of unemployed rising fast, houses repossessed. The rat-race isn’t working!

Money, riches and possessions were never the answer to the human search for a worthwhile life. God means us to live spiritually. Real life and happiness can’t be found through wealth. We can’t find peace and happiness, with real, trusting friends or a faithful husband or wife through money.

Jesus said that the rich would find it hard to get into God’s society and urged them to get rid of their wealth. He gave dramatic accounts of the rich farmer who hoarded his possessions to live long and be wealthy and then suddenly died. He told also of the indulgent rich man who lived with a poor beggar at his gate whom he ignored, only to find that he went to hell and the poor beggar to heaven. He said God blesses the poor but sorrow awaits the rich.

Jesus is the poor man’s friend. He leads the poor to God. He brings them forgiveness and eternal life. No rat-race for Him!

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