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Wealth and Relationships
"I have found that people who have healthy relationships with God, family, and community, may have a little money or a lot, but either way they can handle it better than do
those who do not have healthy relationships. In other words, those with healthy relationships can be entrusted to handle a great deal of money responsibly, because they do not need to use
wealth to substitute for their deepest needs. Similarly, they can deal with poverty if need be, because again they have what they really need. It was summed up by St. Paul in the letter to
the Philippians 4:11-14: 'Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have
plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens
me.' I'm also pretty sure that Jesus was pretty consistently making this point when he deals with money. His focus I think is always on restoring people to 'right relationships' (one good
definition of salvation), not on the money in and of itself."
Carol Johnston
Christian Theological Seminary
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