If we find ourselves with abundance, God has chosen to bless us.  We delight and rejoice with those God has prospered.  But remember, there are responsibilities that come with being a steward. 

The Scripture says, in 1 Timothy 6:17, to “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded.”  Wealth brings power and the ability to do whatever you want.  It can also give rise to a spirit of independence.  It will bring temptations and a propensity toward high-mindedness.  Rich people begin to think they are something.  Rich people are in a place where, as this prosperity comes to them, it brings with it that passage that we’re aware of—people begin to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think.  Rich people think they should have privileges.  We know that was within the church.  James speaks toward it and says, “Hey, wait a minute.  You have to understand something.  There is ‘no respect of persons’ in the body of Christ” (Romans 2:11); amen?  The poorest among us gets treated just like the richest among us.  There are no prejudices within the body of Christ.  We don’t say to the poor man, “Here, get up and let this rich man have your seat, and you sit here at his feet.”  It is so amazing when you’re around wealthy people, to see how many of them think they should have privileges.  The temptation comes along with that.

I’ll just give you a little example.  In Africa—we happened to be in Tanzania at this time—it’s interesting to watch as you look at some of the caste system.  I mean, give a guy one stripe, dear Lord, you’d think he was a five-star general.  And the people under him, “Go here!  Go there!  Get that for me!  Fetch this!”  It’s interesting to watch.  One day, we were getting ready to get on our van.  So, we went and gathered up some soft drinks, and were handing them out to the men, and I handed one to the driver of the van.  He almost passed out.  He could not believe that he was included in the group, treated like everybody else.  That should just be natural to us; shouldn’t it?  It makes me angry when I’m in a restaurant and watch somebody treat some waiter or waitress like a peon and make some kind of demands of them.  Who do you think you are?  Oh yes, I know you’re paying for your meal, but you’re no better than they are.  Some of us—we’re talking about high-mindedness—have to, every once in a while, deal with those thoughts because, guess what?  We used to be those people.  Amen?  Some of us that now have been blessed a little bit and have the wherewithal to do what we’d like to do.  The Scripture’s very clear on some of these issues and how we respond to those that are poor and how we’re to really be able to show to them the love of God, the mercies of God.

In Ezra 1:6, it says, “And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver and gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered to the Lord.”  We see, then, there’s giving to the needs of the community.  And then, we see in Luke 21:1-3, “And he looked up and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.  And he saw also a certain poor widow cast in thither two mites.  And he said, ‘Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all.’”.  What a statement!  This poor widow has cast in more than they all.  Let the heart of God speak to your heart.  Jesus said, “This woman put in more than they all.”  Some versions say, “all of them put together.”  Others say, “more than anybody else did.”  Praise God.