Riches to rags!… Or, There and back again.

People are always interested in ‘rags to riches’ stories; we are jealous of the luck involved in lottery winners and inspired by the hard work and determination of characters like Richard Branson. However, the heart of the Gospel is the complete opposite; it is a ‘riches to rags’ story.

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:5-8 NIV)
“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” (1 Pet 2:24 NLT)

Have you ever read a more extreme story? The Glories of Heaven surrendered for the pain of Hell… all for us! This ‘riches to rags’ story is our rescue, our salvation.
But the Gospel is not about ‘wealth’ (money or anything else) it is about relinquishing [unhealthy] ownership; realising that we need our hands free to hold tightly onto God.

As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"
Jesus said, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, honour your father and mother."
He said, "Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!"
Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, "There's one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me."
The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go. (Mark 10:17-22 MSG)

The reason that we are drawn to ‘rags to riches’ stories rather than ‘riches to rags’ is because the latter tend to revolve around disasters or squandering or laziness. But our story, the Gospel, is different; this story of ‘riches to rags’ is not about any of these, it is a story of hope. The story does not end in ‘rags’, it conquers the disaster of sin and reclaims the riches [of Heaven]. This is how the earlier verses from Philippians 2 conclude:
“…Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:9-11 NIV)

Hallelujah!

-Andrew Carey