Camel

In Matthew 19:16-26, as well as in Mark 10:17-27 and in Luke 18:18-27, Jesus encountered the rich young ruler. Jesus told the rich young ruler, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

The rich young ruler went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The rich young ruler, as wealthy as he was, did not want to pay the high price that it cost (and that it still costs today) to be a true follower of Jesus.

Jesus then told his disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, 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."

I believe that one of the reasons for this commentary by Jesus is that when a person has great wealth, then he or she tends to put his or her trust in said wealth instead of in God.

A rich person tends to put his or her trust, and his or her faith, more in his or her savings, or bank account statements, or investments, or property holdings, or ownership interests, or retirement funds, instead of in God.

A rich person tends to put his or her trust in the tangible evidence of his or her wealth, instead of in God.

God clearly has blessed certain believers with great wealth. Old Testament examples include Abraham, David, and Solomon. New Testament examples include Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.

At the same time, however, I have seen how earthly wealth and earthly riches have destroyed the testimonies of countless so-called believers, as they switched their faith focus from God to their earthly accumulations.

God has blessed you with wealth, then use it all for His great glory.

If God has blessed you with wealth, though, be very, very careful, as the enemy surely will try to use your wealth to snare you, and to get you to lose faith in God and gain faith in your riches instead.

Don't let your earthly riches cost you a place in God's eternal kingdom.

Think of a camel trying to contort its way through the eye of a needle.

That's what you're up against.