Words on Wealth

Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Andhe said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:13-15)

"Imagine no possessions; I wonder if you can"- "Imagine" by John Lennon

I was listening to a podcast once, and the man speaking laughed at Lennon's notion written in his song "Imagine." Apparently, as I learned, Lennon had two floors at The Dakotas, a posh, upscale high-rise condominium that catered to the wealthy for exclusive views of Central Park in New York City. One floor is where he lived and the other is where he kept his stuff, including an extensive guitar collection. His song "Imagine" was an antiwar protest song written during the final years of the Vietnam War, so as such, he had to sound "anti-establishment." Like many protestors of that era, we learned he was hypocritical as he spent a ton of money just to keep his "stuff."

Christ is about to share a parable with a man who is asking a question commonly asked of respected "rabbis" in his day. Given in context, the man is in a dispute over inheritance with his brother. Christ has shared a parable in Luke recently on a younger brother who asks his father for his share of the inheritance in "The Prodigal Son." Maybe he is seen as an expert in the Judaic law regarding such, so he is asked.

Christ's response is interesting because we confess in our creeds that Christ will come to do just what he's asked: Judge. Christ's judgement will be on our deeds as foretold in Matthew 25. Fortunately, those who believe will be covered by Christ's sacrificial act to pay our debt, but a judgement will occur as revealed in scripture.

Our confessions reflect that in the Second Article: "From there he will come to judge the living and the dead."

Christ, though, is saying simply, "I'm not getting tangled up in your earthly mess." He then goes into a parable about a "rich fool," who had so much that he decided to build storage to house his stuff, and then live the good life. In the parable, Christ says, "Fool, tonight your soul will be taken...."

As with any parable, many read Christ's words on wealth in parables like this and believe the rich are damned (his comment on a camel through a needle is easier than a rich man into heaven - Matthew 19), so take a vow of poverty. Christ is warning all of us, rich and poor in terms of wealth, to not put our faith in our earthly possessions.

The man asking Christ to be the arbiter of the dispute between he and his brother is giving Christ a teachable moment, which he takes. The lesson is simple: All this stuff you seek will consume you. Don't let it. Keep your hearts and minds on me. 

It's a lesson Christ teaches often, preparation and focus on what's important. "Where your treasure it, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6) 

Pray for our daily bread. Pray that we are about the business of Christ - discipling those in need of hearing the good news. Pray we use our stuff to serve him faithfully.