Life Is A Paradox
“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” II Corinthians 6:10
This verse is made up of three statements which are paradoxes, that is, statements which “seem contradictory but that may be true in fact” according to Webster’s Dictionary. How can someone be sorrowful and rejoice at the same time? Or be poor yet cause others to become rich? Have absolutely nothing, yet have everything? These statements do seem to be contradictory, but only when viewed with a worldly perspective. The world view is about being happy, being wealthy, and having many possessions, but if these measures of success are lacking, then, according to some folks, life is not all that good because they are depending on others to make them happy or on material possessions to bring them contentment.
God created people to have a relationship with Him, to honor and serve Him, and in return He gives the peace and contentment that cannot be obtained any other way. When my loved ones have passed away, I am sorrowful, not for them because they are experiencing a place of perfect peace and rest because they knew Christ as Lord and Savior. I am sorrowful for myself because I miss them so much, but I will be reunited with them one day. That gives me a joy that others with no hope can experience.
As far as being poor, my Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). I may not own a mansion on earth nor would I want those mortgage payments, but I have one awaiting me in heaven (John 14:2) with no mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance costs, or repair bills. How can I, as a semi-retired old lady make others rich? When a believer, whether rich, poor, or middle class, tells others the good news of Jesus Christ and lives what he or she believes before others, that is the most valuable gift that one can give to another. It’s sort of like “spreading the wealth around” except that it is not money or material goods, but rather the knowledge that one can be forgiven of sin, possess a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, and eventually enter an indescribable home in heaven. I am reminded of that old saying about one beggar telling another beggar where to find Bread. In John 6:48, Jesus calls Himself the “Bread of life”. He is the “living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever…” No amount of worldly riches can buy eternal life.
I live in a modest home, old and small, but comfortable. I tell folks that my husband and I never had to “downsize” because we never “upsized”. My furniture is old. Much of my clothing comes from the local thrift shop, or at least it did until COVID shut it down. I have several boxes of items to donate when the charity comes by next week to pick it up. I finally figured out that we spend the first 50 years of our lives accumulating, and the rest of our lives trying to get rid of all that stuff. As the old joke goes, upon the death of a rich man, “How much did he leave? All of it”. Everything belongs to God. He just lets us use what He allows us to have to enjoy our lives on earth. All the possessions that I have will belong to someone else one day, but I will never lose the most valuable possession that I have, my relationship with the Lord of lords and King of kings. That indeed is possessing all things.