When Jesus is asked to resolve a dispute between siblings over their inheritance, it is not surprising that Jesus refuses to take sides. Instead, he warns against the destructive power of greed. In a world where the popular wisdom tells us that “Whoever dies with the most toys wins”
Jesus offers a challenging alternative: “Life is not measured by how much you own.” The parable that follows this interaction is challenging. Most Bibles call it the “Parable of the Rich Fool”. What makes the man in the parable foolish is not his wealth, but his desire to hoard his wealth. When we start to believe that only things that have a monetary price are valuable, we inevitably hoard as much wealth as we can, and we devalue what cannot be bought – including the people who are not able to accumulate wealth.
The result is that the gap between “haves” and “have-nots” grows ever wider. But, when we realize that the ability to create wealth is simply one of many talents, and that its purpose is not for self-gratification, but to support and sustain those who have other gifts that bring value into the world, the whole picture changes. We stop hoarding what we have, and we seek to use our wealth to support those who do valuable work that cannot be measured in financial terms.
Imagine what the world would look like if it operated according to this Christ-like set of values! In what ways do you use money to measure value? How can you open yourself to recognize and honor the value of what cannot be bought or sold?