Priorities

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Matthew 6:19-21

“No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.  Matthew 6:24

Reflection

Who wants to be a millionaire?  I suspect just about everybody . . . except for billionaires!  Every so often I amuse myself by thinking about what I would do if I suddenly came into a large amount of money.  Oh, the things I could buy!  To be honest, a large infusion of cash is something most of us would welcome.  Money is an essential ingredient to functioning in our world.  Our ability to acquire housing, food, transportation, and all sorts of other material comforts depends on the amount of money we have.  So, why wouldn’t we make the pursuit of wealth our top priority?  Jesus tells us in today’s reading.

Money itself is not the problem.  The problem arises when money becomes the goal and organizing principle of our lives.  If we put money first, it becomes our god.  But the Bible teaches us that we are to have one God only, and that God is not material wealth.  Rather, we are to worship and serve the One who creates, redeems, and sustains us–the God we meet in Jesus Christ.   God will not share center stage in our lives with any other priority.  In fact, the acquisition of wealth is probably the priority that is least compatible with following Christ.  This is because the accumulation of money is often at odds with the principles of generosity and giving that are at the core of Christianity.  You can’t be generous and giving if you are busy jealously guarding your assets.  Jesus points out that focusing our lives on monetary gain is ultimately a foolish investment.  Our wealth can buy us comforts in this life only, but we have been created for eternity!  The kind of investment that really pays off is an investment in God’s eternal purposes-an investment in caring for others and building a just, compassionate, and faithful community.  There used to be a saying:  “He who dies with the most toys wins!”  There was an alternative saying:  “He who dies with the most toys still dies!”  Of course, it’s the second saying that is true.  Jesus calls us to invest for the long term by focusing on God’s priorities.

If we achieve a measure of wealth in the process of living faithful and generous lives, that is a great thing.  It is a blessing that comes with a responsibility-the responsibility to exercise our faithfulness and generosity on an even higher level.  But if we never become wealthy, that is not a mark against us.  Our success as human beings has nothing to do with our accumulation of assets or possessions.  It has everything to do with how we invest our lives in other people and the growth of God’s kingdom.

Activity

Look at one of your recent bank statements.  If you can, print out a cash flow analysis.  What patterns do you see in your use of money?  In what do you invest your earnings?  To be sure, the biggest portion will be used for housing, food, and essentials like medical care.  But beyond that, there is spending we have a choice about.  What choices do you make?  What priorities do those choices reflect?  Consider how your current investment strategy fits with Jesus’ teachings.  Do you need to make any changes?

Prayer

God of Creation, You are the giver of every good gift:  My possessions, my abilities, and my life itself come from You and will return to You.  Forgive me when I fail to be grateful or refuse to share.  Open my eyes to Your amazing generosity, and return me to the path of faithful stewardship.  Help me to invest Your gifts of financial and material resources in the extension of Your kingdom.  Thank You for giving me what I need to live and to share:  in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Key Thought:  We are called to invest our money and material resources in God’s kingdom.