Living Rich Toward God — Guest Post by Matt Peterson

This is a guest post by Matt Peterson. Photo and links below. Jesus knows that a lifestyle of generosity and sowing reaps the highest harvest, both now and forever. It’s Jesus Smart. Thanks, Matt, for helping us with what it means to be “rich toward God!” — Brian

Jesus is the originator of this interesting phrase and concept: “… so is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).

Am I Rich Toward God?

Jesus is not saying “don’t prepare for the future or never spend on yourself,” but He is sharing with us a secret that is more important than self-preservation — the secret of stepping off of the wide expressway of “me” and onto an off-road adventure of living as a giver of riches.

Living Rich Toward God means living a life on a path that winds through the spectacular beauty of creation to discover the greatest treasures on earth — people. It is a journey with constant opportunity to encourage wilted souls, give water to the thirsty, celebrate the successes of others, weep with the suffering and find ways to free the oppressed.

Serving the Kingdom of Heaven

Being Rich Toward God means joyfully volunteering in the mission of serving the purposes of the Kingdom of Heaven.

When I spend time investing in relationships and serve my children, my wife, others, I’m being Rich Toward God. When I leverage resource, energy and prayers toward others in need, I throw myself into the category of richly lavishing on God. When I spend the best of my day conversing with, taking a walk with and listening to my Father, I’m being Rich toward Him.

Living Rich Toward God means giving what we do have instead of waiting for more to give. It means finding ways to make another life richer with intentional words of encouragement and support, rather than being fixated with my own pleasure.

Living Rich Toward God is making the most of our time before retirement, and aiming for moments of fellowship far beyond 75 when we will gather with thousands of lives that we touched on earth 10,000 years from now in a place called eternity.

The Rich Young Ruler was personally invited to join Jesus on His off-road journey but declined.

We can say yes and live rich.

Matt Peterson is the Lead Pastor at Awake Church in North Carolina, as well as the founder of Hydrating Humanity, an organization whose core mission is to see the poorest areas of the world realize real and lasting transformation at every level: economically, socially, spiritually and physically. Matt Peterson Facebook page.