"Who Needs to be a Millionaire?"

That was the cover of a Thrivent magazine article from over 10 years ago. Thrivent is a financial services company with its origins in the Lutheran church. They are a great organization, helping out people financially and giving back in all kinds of ways. The article had to do with retirement, recommending each household should have $1,000,000 saved up, in order to continue to live comfortably into the golden years. It’s good advice—it really is!—but…..

           The Gospel this Sunday is about a wealthy man who gets even wealthier when a bumper crop comes in and his barns aren’t “big enough” (Luke 12:13-21). So he decides to tear them down and build BIGGER ones!! Can never get too big! And then he says to his soul: “Soul, NOW you have enough. Rest, eat, drink, and be merry!” But God demands his life that very night. 

           How much is enough?? In the ideal world of faith according to Jesus, God provides the basics which are enough (Luke 12:22-31). On the one hand, Jesus is not beating up on wealthy people. The man’s wealth is not the problem—believing he needs more than the ton of money he already has in order to “rest” is the spiritual issue. He’s already wealthy—why not give the “extra” away? Which raises some uncomfortable questions for us. Why do we believe that “growth” is always “good”? Just read today that China is giving couples $500 to have kids, because 1.5 billion people aren’t enough. Will 3 billion people be enough? Apparently not when they all grow old… What will happen to the earth when every country decides it needs more people, more money, more resources, more stuff, more… more…??? That’s the wealthy man’s problem—believing he always needs more. 

           The Good News is that we don’t have to buy into that false promise. (Pardon the pun) How many of us miss out on “life” because we’re too busy trying to get more and more and more? Why couldn’t the rich man in the parable relax with what he already had? To be clear, this parable is directed to those of us who are not poor. How freeing it is to know we have enough!

Peace,

Pr. Christian