The filthy rich pay little or no federal income taxes. It’s likely legal (since they can well afford tax lawyers to figure out the loop-holes), but certainly not ethical–nor righteous. The enormous amounts of monies paid to corporate CEO’s and owners are hidden in unearned income and the like. Sure, they think they’re smart in knowing how to avoid taxes, but I wonder how they sleep at night knowing how little they pay their workers in comparison to their greed?

On the other hand, there’s a few filthy rich people in my local congregation that use their financial blessings to help members of the congregation in financial need. Or any other need that the Body of Christ has. What really impresses me is when I too infrequently hear of an owner of a huge company putting back his money excesses into increasing the salaries of his workers. Those kind of owners are few and far between. Most of them still live in the same houses that they once did before they became so wealthy. Amen to them.

It’s one thing to have talent. It’s another thing to have the opportunity to develop that talent. And, an entirely different thing to recognize and to knowledge from where your good fortune comes from (The Lord). It tends to keep one humble, which is as it should be, don’t you agree?