“How can anyone get into heaven? It must be impossible!” That’s what Jesus’ disciples said to him after he had told a very rich young man that he had to give everything away in order to inherit eternal life.
Most of us aren’t asked to give everything away, but there certainly is invitation to give generously of the money and belongings entrusted to us by God.
But lots of people either giving nothing away at all or give scantily, as measured by percentage of wealth, not dollar amounts.
Why? Perhaps there is a lack of charitable giving because many think they are not rich enough to give something away. The fear: if they give to others, they will have less themselves, making themselves even poorer.
So, I started to ask myself, “What defines rich? What defines poor?”
I am rich when I know that when one of us suffers, we all suffer. I am even richer when I know that when one of us prospers, we all prosper. I am poor when I think I can live unconnected and untouched by the lives of others.
I am rich when I can turn on a tap and have clean drinking water come flowing out. I am even richer when I can decide if I want that water to be hot or cold. I am poor when I have hot, cold and clean running water, but won’t contribute to help someone across the world experience the same thing.
I am rich when I have more than one set of clothes in my closet. I am even richer when part of my daily routine consists of deciding which of those items to put on for the day. I am poor when I have so many clothes in my closet that I decide to build or buy more closet or storage space rather than give some of them away.
I am rich when I can enjoy meals prepared by others and beverages other than that clean water from the tap. I am even richer when I can indulge in such things for myself and my family regularly. I am poor when I won’t give up even 10% of those indulgences in order to put some money in a charity donation box or ensure that some child has a chance to hear about the grace and love of God for them.
I am rich when I have decent shelter that provides protection from the elements. I am even richer when that shelter has climate control that keeps the temperature exactly where I want it, even as the seasons and weather change. I am poor when I can’t take a portion of my abundance and send it to victims of natural disasters so they might at least have a piece of canvas or plastic over their heads.
I am rich when I have a phone that I can take me with I anywhere I go and stay in touch with anyone I want whenever I want. I am even richer when I can use that phone to chat face to face with others, watch movies and keep my social media contacts updated. I am poor when I spend so much on my phone and other electronics and what I believe are necessities of modern life that I am in such debt that I don’t even know how good I have it.
I am rich when I know that the material things I enjoy are temporary and fleeting. I am even richer when I contemplate eternity in total union with God, whose very nature sings of extravagant generosity. I am poor when my material and financial possessions own and imprison me with their constant neediness for attention and replacement. I am destitute when these material things take the place of God.
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