Woe

The kids and I are reading Luke at breakfast time (on a good day). I read a section aloud, then each person gets to ask a question, and answer a question. It's fun.

Today we read part of Luke 6. The kids are pretty familiar with "Blessed are the hungry, for they shall be filled," because that's the scripture I quote to them when they whine for snacks. This section comes after and stuck with me today:

Luke 6:24-26
"But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets. "

I don't know what Joel Osteen does with this passage. Is this a passage that is flatly against being happy? Is it fair to take this as spiritual instruction, or is it more literal? I feel a sense of dread when I read this, for fear that I will lose all good things I currently enjoy. But I have to believe that if it says "Woe to you" that there must be some way to repent. Being rich, well fed, and laughing are morally neutral. Being well spoken of is a good thing throughout scripture--proverbs says that a good name is to be desired above all things, and a NT requirement for an elder/decon is that they have a good reputation in the community. So surely these things are not actually bad.

What's wrong with all those things? I think it must be self-sufficiency. Rev 3:17-18 says "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

So how do I "buy" gold? I think the white clothes are righteous acts...but what is salve for the eyes?