We all have enough stuff. While I am always caution to make wide generalizations like that, but I bet most of us have plenty, at least stuff. Maybe not the newest, or fanciest, but plenty. Considering that someone making $20,000 a year in the US is among the 11% wealthiest population in the world. We have plenty. (according to the Global Rich list)
And yet, we keep building new barns. Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with the temptation to put things before God and before others. It is a never ending cycle. Once we have all the things that we want, we must be willing to protect those things. We build bigger barns, move to a larger house, buy more insurance, and put up higher fences and louder security systems. We cannot leave our things any longer to visit other places or cultures to broaden our perspectives about life. We must find ways to guard our property. We become prisoners of our possessions. (And for those of us with no possessions, on top of the struggle of life it is the struggle to not be overcome by jealously and rage at those who have—and again stuff drives us away from neighbor and God.)
I know, I know this is the type of sermon where some of you are muttering to yourselves. I don’t need to hear this. Rather, I don’t want to hear this. But there is it…there really isn’t a way to sugar coat what Jesus is telling us today.
We ask ourselves, “How can we balance providing for our needs, real needs, and the desire to accumulate goods, money, and status? We don’t like this topic…but especially given the consumerism surrounding us right now…silence isn’t going to make it better. God’s demand isn’t going away. Uncomfortable as it may be, you and I, God’s people must find some way to speak up. But for what? The jobs of the people depending on good sales this holiday season? The business owners who need an income? Or do we call out against consumerism and people’s desire to buy, buy, buy?
It is a treacherous world we followers of Christ are called to live in.
And so, what shall we do? How shall we find ‘true life’ amongst our ‘stuff’?
The answers and the arguments reach beyond the limits of a one sided sermon but let’s start here.
Let’s start by giving thanks. By at least acknowledging our barns are full up. And remembering that it is God that provided. By at least stopping in the next week to list what God has done for us. In detail. So that we are humbled by the excess and lavish grace bestowed upon us. The clothes on our back, the food in our stomach, the water we drink, the places we find shelter, the tasks and jobs we get to do, the income we use to provide for those around us, the gadgets and entertainment that delight and amuse us, the conversations that challenge us, the conveniences that ease our body, the healthcare and medicine that expands our life, the sound of a friends voice and the listening ear of one who cares, the art and poetry and music that fills our lives, by the quiet of rain and chirp of birds, the miracle of love and forgiveness, the wonder of creation…our lists go on and on… Our barns are full up. Give thanks.
May our prayer be that the sheer weight of gratitude presses in upon us so heavily that our only response is to let it burst forth from us.
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