Neglecting Opportunities
I read a report in the newspaper last week that noted
the various states in our country with the highest and lowest median
household incomes.
East-coast states like Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire were at
the top of the list. A couple of Bible belt states including Alabama and
Mississippi were down at the bottom of the economic ladder. If you were
wondering, Indiana was right in the middle.
Now, I do not mention this just to help you in your United States trivia
knowledge. Instead, the consideration of these various states led me to
an interesting spiritual finding.
If you will consider most of the states with a higher ratio of wealthy
people, you will notice there is a lower ratio of faithful churches in
those areas (go ahead and look up New Hampshire and Connecticut in a
church directory and let me know how many churches of Christ you find).
Conversely, if you look up the more poverty-stricken states you will
find the Lord’s church has a greater presence among these people.
Coincidence? Not according to the Bible. Jesus said, “How hard is it
for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24,25).
James, Jesus’s brother, said, “Has God not chosen the poor of this
world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to
those who love Him?” (James 2:5).
Of course, this does not mean we are to avoid teaching the rich.
Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea emerged as vocal disciples at the
death of Jesus (John 19:38,39). There were other wealthy converts too.
Yet, there is a lesson for us. We tend to favor the rich and despise the
poor. Yet, in so doing, we may neglect some of God’s greatest prospects.
Think about it.
December 2005