Wealth and Spirituality: Are They Compatible Or Contradictory?

I think this is very important to us all Cashflowpc/Vortex Marketing and YourTechMall,because this part of what we are teaching:


" Wealth and Spirituality: Are They Compatible Or Contradictory?
by David Stewart, PhD, DNM, IASP*

A lot of Young Living Distributors, as well as a lot of people in general, have a problem resolving what seems to be a conflict between wanting to be of unselfish service to others and making money from offering that service. There is a verse in the Bible saying "It is more difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to pass through the needle's eye." The phrase, "Needle's Eye," to which Jesus alluded was in reference to a particularly narrow gate into the city of Jerusalem through which camels could pass only by getting on their knees, not an actual needle. A misunderstanding of this verse has caused many to conclude that being rich, per se, is incompatible with living a spiritual life that is of service to others and pleasing to God. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here's why.

First of all, there is another scripture you need to note. It is a letter (III John 2) to a person called Gaius, an early church leader. The salutation begins: "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." In other words, John is saying that God wants us to prosper on all levels - materially, physically, and spiritually. There is no conflict in this. It is not one or the other. Material and spiritual prosperity are, in fact, related.

The Jews have a proverb: "Your wealth is a measure of your service to others." In other words, successful business people have to offer something of value to the public or the public won't buy their wares or services. So the more of your wares or services people buy, the more people appreciate and find benefit from what you offer. Hence, the more income you generate from what you offer in your business, the more people you have helped, and the greater has been your service to humankind.

Of course, in order to be true, this statement also requires that what you offer is actually beneficial and not harmful like selling drugs, etc. It is possible to become financially wealthy and engage in evil enterprises. But we are not talking about that. John's Third Letter (verse 11) also says "He that does good is of God: but he that does evil has not seen God." It does not matter if you are wealthy or poor, evil is evil and good is good. The point being that wealth is not contradictory to doing good. In fact, to do the most good in the world, affluence is an asset and, on some level, essential to accomplishing your charitible intent. As for offering oils to the public, how good is that? It is a blessing to everyone.

It is rare that a person living in poverty can make any great contribution to the welfare of others when they have to spend all of their time just surviving themselves. One needs a level of affluence to afford to be generous with both their time and their resources.

However, if you personally choose poverty as a way to focus on God instead of focusing on self-serving human desires, like Sister Theresa, things are different. Even Sister Theresa, while choosing a simple lifestyle for herself, needed to attract many contributors to support her cause, without which her work would have been limited. So the principle of affluence applies even in cases like hers. In fact, spiritual people of wealth often choose to live comfortable yet frugal lives in order to give more in material goods and service to others.

Jesus came to bring a Gospel that would last for the ages. Even though once he began his ministry and did not engage in an occupation that generated income, he could not have carried out his ministry full-time without financial assistance. In Luke 10:7 he told his disciples, "The laborer deserves to be paid." Those whom he and his disciples served were expected to provide food, lodging, and the necessities of life.

Jesus, himself, came from a comfortable upper middle class family whose breadwinner, Joseph, was a successful carpenter, an occupation that was above average and well-paid in those days. Jesus' disciples were not poor either, otherwise they could not have been able to engage in a full-time ministry without placing undo hardship on their families. James, John, Andrew and Peter owned a fleet of fishing boats. Matthew was a wealthy tax collector and use his accumulated resources, including his palatial home, to support the Gospel mission. St. Paul had a tent-making business and, in addition to the contributions received from those whom he served, he supported his missionary travels from his own pocket.

Jesus also had wealthy friends including Nicodemas who owned an Inn, Joseph of Arimathea who was a wealthy sea merchant engaging in international trade, and Lazarus who was a well-to-do land owner who often provided food and living quarters for Jesus and his disciples. In Luke 8:1-3 we learn that there were many wealthy women who provided for Jesus and his disciples "from their resources." These included women of political status such as Joanna, a member of Herod's Court.

Jesus built his church on network marketing principles. He personally sponsored more twelve people who, in turn, sponsored hundreds who, in turn, sponsored thousands and ultimately millions reaching down through the centuries to the present. Network marketing is simply sharing what you have in a way that those receiving will have everything you have, be it spiritual goods or material. Because we live in a material world, material resources are necessary. Network marketing is the perfect vehicle by which the spiritual and the material can work together in mutual support.

I like the concept of this Jewish proverb where your income is considered a measure of your service. Of course, it needs some interpretation and adaptation. If you offer a harmful or debilitating product, like cocaine, you might make a lot of money, but will have no spiritual satisfaction nor joy in your trade. In general, and properly taken, the proverb is true.

As Young Living distributors, we offer fantastic products and services that benefit everyone. So, the bigger your YLEO business, the more people you sponsor, the more people you train to sponsor others, and the more people you teach about how to use the oils, the more people you will be blessing and serving. As a Young Living Distributor, as you grow in service to others, so will grow your financial rewards.

By maintaining an attitude of generosity toward everyone (not just your own downline), you will develop a magnetism that will draw people to you. When that happens, it is God honoring you for your unselfish attitude and helping you build your business. This is God choosing you as one whom he trusts to send his children for help when they need these oils and your instructions.

In Young Living, your unselfish service and your income are directly related, just like the proverb says. The more people you reach and teach, the more you receive. It is God's law. "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7) And this is not to mention the friendships you will make and the spiritual rewards you will gain."
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