Jesus on Prosperity and Compassion: A Balanced Call to Generosity and Success
How Jesus’s Teachings on Wealth and Compassion Can Guide Us Toward a Just and Generous Society
I do not often write about religion, but lately, I feel compelled to do so. Why? Because false prophets have taken center stage and many good people are being misled. It’s time to revisit the timeless question: “What Would Jesus Do?” if He were alive today.
Would He attend Jeff Bezos’s lavish $600 million wedding? Would He vote for Donald Trump? Would He tell battered women to return to their abusive husbands? Would He sit a child with cancer on His lap and tell them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps?
No, He would not. Jesus would help, and I suspect most people reading this would agree. Yet far too many idolize wealth and power at the expense of their less fortunate brothers and sisters. This is the crux of the problem we have today.
Wealth itself is not inherently evil. The problem arises when a community is suffering while wealth is hoarded. This inequality drives disharmony and if we are to be good Christians, we must heed the call and help the less fortunate, the poor, and those in need.
Jesus’s teachings on wealth and helping the poor may seem contradictory, but they are not. Instead, they reveal how material blessings should be used wisely and with a sense of profound responsibility. Prosperity, in Jesus’s view, is a blessing to be stewarded carefully — used to meet personal needs and shared generously with others.
Yes, shared generously with others. Did you hear that, Mr. Bezos and all the billionaires of the world?
Jesus called His followers to acts of compassion, urging them to share their resources and care for the “least of these” as an expression of their faith. His teachings affirm that while wealth can be a powerful tool for good, it must never become an idol. The call to help those in need underscores His vision of a just and loving society where generosity and compassion triumph over greed and self-interest.
This balance between prosperity and responsibility forms the foundation of Jesus’ view on wealth and poverty. He invites us to embrace both success and selfless service.
The Good Samaritan: Wealth as a Tool for Compassion
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) serves as a poignant reminder of this duty. The story is simple but profound: a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by robbers and left for dead. A priest and a Levite, both respected religious figures, pass by without helping. Then comes a Samaritan — an outsider, someone despised by Jewish society — who stops, tends to the man’s wounds, and pays for his care at an inn.
This Samaritan doesn’t just offer kind words; he uses his resources — oil, wine, money, and time — to help someone in desperate need. His actions show that true neighborly love transcends cultural boundaries and religious affiliations.
Jesus closes the story by asking, “Which of these three was a neighbor to the man?” The answer is clear: “The one who had mercy on him.” The call to “go and do likewise” challenges us to use our own blessings to lift others, no matter their background. Wealth, in this context, isn’t about self-indulgence — it’s about empowering others and embodying the compassion Jesus taught.
The Rich Young Ruler: A Cautionary Tale
Another key lesson comes from the story of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:21–22). When this man asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus commended him for obeying the commandments but saw his deeper struggle: an attachment to his wealth. Jesus told him, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
The man walked away sorrowful because he was very wealthy. This isn’t a condemnation of wealth itself — it’s a warning about its power to control us. The issue wasn’t the man’s riches but his inability to let go of them and prioritize eternal values. Jesus wasn’t saying wealth is bad; He was saying it’s only good when it serves a greater purpose.
For those of us blessed with material success, this story is a call to reflect. Are we using our wealth to serve ourselves or to serve others? Are we clinging to possessions that ultimately hold no eternal value? Jesus invites us to align our priorities with His: to see wealth as a tool, not a treasure.
Blessed Are the Merciful: A Call to Action
This message is perfectly encapsulated in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–7), where Jesus declares:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The “merciful” are those who act with compassion, kindness, and generosity, not just in thought but in tangible actions. The “poor in spirit” are those who recognize their dependence on God, understanding that true wealth lies in spiritual richness rather than material abundance.
Jesus calls us to embrace these qualities in a world that often prizes self-sufficiency and material success above all else. Mercy means looking beyond our comfort to meet the needs of others. Spiritual poverty means acknowledging that everything we have — our wealth, talents, and opportunities — ultimately comes from God and should be used to advance His vision of justice and love.
Reconnecting with Our Spiritual Roots
Many of the topics I typically write about in Weathered intersect with climate change, social justice, and environmental justice. Yet, these problems stem from a deeper issue: humanity’s disconnection from the core principles of spirituality and compassion.
Jesus’s teachings remind us that we’re all stewards of the blessings we’ve been given, and we carry a collective responsibility to care for one another. Whether through financial generosity, time, or advocacy, we’re called to use our prosperity to create a more equitable world.
The challenges we face today — inequality, environmental destruction, and systemic injustice — require us to return to these foundational values. Jesus’s balance of prosperity and compassion offers a path forward: to succeed but to share that success. To prosper, but to lift others as we do.
So, what would Jesus do? He would help. And He would call us to do the same.
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