By your great skill in trading
    you have increased your wealth,
and because of your wealth
    your heart has grown proud.
Ezekiel 28:5 (NIV)

Spiritual maturity is pronounced in pain, it is arrested in affluence.

Over the past year, Wendy and I have been reading what has been an emerging theme in the news outlets we read. The theme is Luxury Beliefs and it came from the observations of a writer named Rob Henderson. We often think of the luxury wealth and affluence affords simply in terms of the tangible goods that come with luxury. Henderson argues that in the 21st century there has been a shift. The wealthy and affluent see their beliefs as much a status symbol as their luxury handbag, timepiece, car, or yacht. His essay is worth a read.

Of course, the idea of wealth affecting matters of belief was a theme of Jesus. He said that it was easier for a camel to be thread through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today’s chapter contains two more prophetic messages against the ancient King of Tyre. As discussed in the previous two chapter-a-day posts, Tyre was a tremendously wealthy port city, and Zeke points out in both of the messages that the King of Tyre’s wealth and affluence has affected his beliefs. It has given him as sense of hubris and pride. In his Luxury Beliefs he considers himself a god. He is wiser and more understanding than all the poor, ignorant minions under his authority. God’s message to the wealthy ruler is that what he doesn’t see is that his “wisdom” and Luxury Beliefs have been corrupted by his affluence and pride.

In the quiet this morning, I find myself in a familiar and uncomfortable place. In relative terms I am wealthy. I am affluent. I live in the richest and most affluent of nations. One of the things I’ve observed on this earthly journey is that I will always be able to point to people I know and people I know of who have tremendously more wealth than me. The insidious effect of this is that I can always consider myself humbly poor compared to the guy I ran into at the restaurant last night who lives in the biggest mansion in town. And that is just one of his many residences.

The problem, of course, is that I’m looking in the wrong direction. Jesus taught me this. He teaches all His disciples this. We’re always looking up the cultural and economic ladder at those more rich, powerful, wealthy, famous, and affluent than we are. We are obsessed as a culture with fame and fortune. But our ways are not God’s ways.

Jesus told me to turn around and look down the economic ladder. Look at the little old widow who put her last two pennies in the collection plate. Look at the lame beggar. Look at the leper who everyone shames and avoids. When I look down the economic ladder, I begin to realize just how rich I really am. I realize that I can afford to be far more generous than I have been. It begins to sow in my soul seeds of contentment rather than envy, gratitude rather than greed. As those seeds take root, they change my perspective, my thoughts, my actions, and my beliefs. Then, I might just be making some progress toward spiritual maturity.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.