Suggested Reading: MARK 10: 17-30
There is no
doubt that the country that we live in has a lot to offer. From the best
hospitals, schools and entertainment to employment opportunities. The poorest
of the poor here are considered fortunate compared to those in other countries.
The roads to success are many. For those who find themselves in crisis or in
dire straits, there are an abundance of resources available to help. The amount
of monies given to charities is astounding. We find ourselves discussing
problems and issues beyond those that involve just the basic necessities for
living. It is a fact that this country, the United
States of America, has the capability of producing enough food to feed the
entire world. There is so much abundance that over 25% of all food is thrown
away and farmers are paid not to produce so as to inflate market prices.
There is still a
lot of pain and suffering. There are still many problems that need to be
addressed, especially with those that may have been left behind while others
prosper. Yet, we all have the capability to focus on these problems. This is
another often ignored advantage of being in this country: there is time and
energy available to address social issues if we want to. There is actually an
ongoing debate of how to spend resources to lift up the disadvantaged while in
other countries the disadvantaged are oftentimes ignored. We are very fortunate
but with worldly prosperity comes blindness to our spirituality and how Jesus
wants to live our lives. We are challenged to look beyond everything that is
physical in the world and embrace that which remains: The Love of God. This
should be in the forefront of our thoughts and actions if we are to truly be
the followers of Jesus Christ. Love of God and Love of neighbor should be the
overriding factor in comparison to anything else. Through this love our true
selves can be revealed.
This is not an
easy task especially in a society that measures the importance of a person
through his or her monetary worth. This constant measuring is so prevalent that
it is oftentimes done subconsciously. When we see someone, it is difficult to
look beyond the clothes that they wear, where they live, or even what kind of
car they drive. All of our interactions are filtered through this mechanism
that is truly dictated by the influences of Satan. We are then further
influenced by this studying someone’s faults and behaviors. If a person has
more material wealth than what is said or done, for whatever reason, will
suffer less consequences than someone who has less and did the same thing. It
is no mistake that white-collar crime or corporate misdeeds have lighter
punishments than other crimes. Where there is wealth there is corruption and
forgiveness since the same people who take advantage of the less fortunate also
wield the greater power.
Jesus challenges
us to strip this all away. He commands us to get rid of our material wealth and
power, discounting it as a great weakness and fault that will ultimately cause
us to stumble and fall. Wealth and power lead to temptation and sin. They are
not of God. Only love is from God and if we are to experience the fruits of our
relationship with him, we cannot be impeded by anything that might create an
obstacle to the Salvation Experience. This includes a focus on the material.
It is very hard
to reprogram ourselves to discount everything that society embraces but it must
be done. It is part of our transformation process. If we are to treat everyone
as Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ than we must love everyone with abandon
and start celebrating God and God alone. Everything else must become secondary.
Our faith isn’t just about following the rules. It is about loving one another
and putting that love into action. Through this process we will know naturally
what to do. God will speak to us and guide us to complete joy.
Deacon Tom
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