It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

It is sayings like this that shatter any notions we have of Jesus being simply another Mr. Nice Guy. These are tough words. They have been a flashpoint for controversy in the church for centuries. They have ignited heated debates about the role of money in the Christian life.

These tough words of Jesus have usually provoked two kinds of reactions. One interprets Jesus' words to mean that you had better give up your money. Money is at least a source of great temptation if not a tool of the devil himself. Therefore, if you want to be in the kingdom, give your money away and go off and join a monastery. The other perspective maintains that Jesus' words apply only to the rich. A…