Tuesday, July 30

In this week’s story, Jesus tells the little parable about the man who felt he needed bigger barns to illustrate a teaching: “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

We (mostly) know that greed is unhealthy – the movie Wall Street notwithstanding. Greed can be a powerful economic motivator, of course, but is also corrosive, and when allowed to flourish with no inhibitors can be as destructive as an invasive plant species taking over your garden. No doubt, that is one reason it is one of the “seven deadly sins.”

Greed doesn’t come out of nowhere, though. In part, greed is a response to a deep-seated fear of not having enough – enough time, enough love, enough money, enough security, enough affirmation… that list could go on. It is a condition reinforced by advertising and any number of cultural messages.

And to that list of “not enoughs” that many of us carry, Jesus responds with a radical message of “enough-ness.”
The Good News to the poor of wallet and poor of spirit is that, in God’s economy, there is enough. He demonstrated this with bread and fish, water and wine, forgiveness and healing. The invitation is to live into the unseen promises of God’s “enough,” which include the material as well as the spiritual, the peace, presence and power of God in every situation that confronts us.

Today, let’s try another list: make a list of things you worry about running out of. Include not only “things,” but intangibles, like time, good will, love, health.
Come into prayer for a moment and ask Jesus to release you from being preoccupied with those worries. 

Ask God to show you where his abundance lies in your life. If our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions, what abundance can we put our trust in?
See what words or images form in your imagination as you sit with your list and that question. If something comes up, write it down.

And give thanks – the beginning of every movement in our spiritual life starts with giving thanks.
Amen!