Why be a millionaire?

"How much money one has or doesn't have is not the key to feeling truly rich."

By Robert A. Johnson

With One Of television's most popular shows being "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" you would think that everyone wants lots of money, but that isn't so. In an AARP-Modern Maturity survey of Americans 18 and older, 27 percent of the men and 40 percent of women said "No" when asked if they would like to become wealthy (Modern Maturity, July–August 2000). And more than 50 percent defined wealth as half a million dollars, or even less. Only 8 percent said it would take a million dollars to make them feel wealthy. The desire to be wealthy was the lowest in the 65 and older group. A researcher concludes, "Most of us just want enough to feel comfortable and secure."

How important is wealth? Perhaps Christ Jesus' treatment of three rich men provides an answer. The first two were a rich publican, Matthew, who many scholars agree was also known as Levi, and an even richer chief of the publicans, Zacchaeus. Jesus dined in the homes of both. The result: Matthew became one of Jesus' disciples, and Zacchaeus promised to make restitution for any misdeeds. (See Matt. 9:9, and Luke 19:2–9.) Perhaps Jesus recognized in them a hunger for something more than material wealth. It must have been an underlying love for God that made them receptive to reform. They found happiness in their growing love for God.