Luke 12:13, 16-21

Perspective

          I was honored to be invited to speak at this year’s Jr high basecamp at Zephyr Point. I got to spend a week at beautiful Lake Tahoe and slow down and absorb all that’s going on at Parkview these days. And honestly, at the personal level, I currently have six close friends at least who are undergoing major life changes. My prayer list is getting longer and longer by the day. And all of this just got me thinking about priorities and what’s important in life.

I think priorities are pretty much a matter of perspective. Circumstances change and shift with them priorities. The loss of a life partner, a sickness that leaves us in bed for months and changes the entire game, buying a house, the birth of a newborn, moving to a new place and having to start all over again, starting a new career at age 40, losing a young son in an accident and not being able to move on years later… all of these are daily realities, and, truth is, we have no control over what happens over the next day, hour or even minute.

What’s important now might not be tomorrow!

But friends, one incident could change our entire perspective on life, and shift our priorities. In the selected gospel passage, this incident is death. Certainly, death is the most awakening and levelling experience, because it puts everything else into perspective. It reminds us that the most valuable treasure in life is life itself. And when it is put on the edge, nothing else really matters.

Last Saturday, Don, Tee Kinoshita’s brother said that he had one regret in life and it is not telling his sister how much he appreciated all she’s done for him. I wonder if he knew she was leaving him soon, would he have told her that earlier?

If the man in Jesus’s parable knew his life would be over soon, do you think he would have wasted the rest of his time building barns?

If we knew our loved one would leave us soon, would we have visited them more often?

If we knew we were going to lose a friendship, a relationship or a position, would we have tried harder?

Perspective! It makes a world of difference.

When asked to solve a conflict arising around possessions and greed, Jesus responds by shifting perspectives. He talks about priorities and what is essential in life.  “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” He says. It’s a whole new viewpoint, especially for the modern reader. What do you mean by ‘life does not consist in the abundance of possessions?’ Are you saying saving accounts aren’t important? Are you saying all the items we store in our pantries and garages won’t prove useful at one point? No, not at all! That’s not what’s he’s saying. Money is essential. Period. Possessions are necessary.

It is not a bad thing when your “land produces plentifully”. It is not a bad thing when your business prospers. It is not a bad thing to receive a promotion. It is not a bad thing when your investments increase in value. That is not the evil in this parable. The man is not called a fool for being a productive farmer. God knows this broken world needs productive farmers and profitable businesses.

However, the parable poses a key question: “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”

According to the story no one’s, because the man’s riches weren’t meant to be shared but preserved to him. All those treasures he managed to preserve, but he couldn’t preserve his own life. Neither could he enjoy any of his collected riches, nor is anyone else going to. I wonder if he would have changed anything had he known his life would be taken away from him that soon. I tend to think that he wouldn’t, as he didn’t seem to have a mentality of gratitude in the first place.

In this last issue of the bi-weekly The Christian Century magazine, Rev. Peter Marty, a Lutheran pastor and publisher wrote (and I am quoting dispersed excerpts from his article):

We are so busy trying to estimate the return on our investment or trying to ensure that we’re the most effective stewards of our resources that we lose sight of the fundamental joy that undergirds true generosity. . . . When we share gifts or blessings that are given to us by God, there is no end to the joy extended. . . . Usually we think that feelings of joy are a result or bi-product of generosity. I happen to think joy precedes generosity. It’s the disposition that enables it in the first place. . . . I’m convinced that bone-deep generosity is a way of life . . . to be a person so generous in spirit that a desire to be grateful guides one’s entire outlook on life.

It is this last sentence, and specifically the term “generous in spirit” that made me stop and think. ‘Generous in spirit’ what a beautiful expression! It echoes the words by which Jesus ended his short story, after the man is told that his life will be demanded of him, the parable concludes: “So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” The phrase “rich toward God” is unusual. What does it mean to be “rich toward God”?

It is simply the opposite of collecting earthly treasure for oneself. Being rich toward God is the opposite of treating the self as though it were made for things and not for God. Being rich toward God is the opposite of acting as if life consists in the abundance of possessions not in the abundance of knowing God.

So, are we rich toward God?

Do we recognize God as our biggest treasure? And what responses does this recognition invite us to?

Do we recognize the abundance we have in our lives? Do we ever say that we already have enough?

When you were given abundantly do you recognize that you did nothing to deserve it, and that it’s a gift?

Do you show gratitude by giving as freely as you have received? Are you rich toward God?

You who have a house and a roof to sleep under, are you rich toward God?

You who eat three meals a day, are you rich toward God?

You who are given a healthy body and are capable of doing physical work others aren’t capable of, are you rich toward God?

You who are surrounded by your family and loved ones, are you rich toward God?

Friends, the question the parable poses continues to ring in our ears today: “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”

May our faith keep our lives in perspective. Amen.