It's Just Paper
7-31-2022
The Rev. John Motis
It is my hope that our lessons this morning give each of us cause to reflect on the question of where we find our security, and in that happiness. If it is found in personal items, our investments or material things, then my question is, what are you willing to trade for it? We are making a trade whether we realize it or not. Sometimes its family, those whom we hold dearest, many times its relationships. Where do we find security?
Back in 2015 after my mom passed away, it became obvious that we needed to move my dad to Babson Park, closer to us. He was living out off Timberlane Rd on Lake Pearce. He had become less stable on his feet. Sometimes he would fall, some of those times, he would spend hours on the floor. We tried the “Help, I’ve fallen, and I cannot get up alert.” Unsuccessful, if you aren’t wearing it. He would say, “I have my cell phone.” Again, unsuccessful, if you can’t reach it! He also had way too much house, filled completely full of the great things of a full married life. We found a small cottage that was just perfect. Then came the challenge of over 50 years of things gathered. The decision was made that my two remaining brothers and I would gather at his house; we were to go through the things that would not fit in the cottage, we would divide mom and dad’s furniture and possessions. We spent the day, Dad sitting with us and watching over it all. As the day grew late and my brothers had left, I could see that my dad’s countenance had changed. I could see that deep sadness had come over him. I asked him if I could stay for a while. I went to the refrigerator and got us both a beer, and we just sat; neither speaking, we just sat quietly. I waited for Dad, he finally spoke: He said, “Isn’t this something? I’ve spent this day just sitting and watching you boys going through the things that your mom and I spent our entire lives gathering. The things of our lives! We took pride in them, many of them seemed so very important. Now look! They are just things, nothing more!” I tried to reassure dad that many of the things that each boy chose had significance, that is why we chose them. It occurred to me in that moment and many times since: without the one with whom we shared them, they are just things, somehow their appointed value is no longer there. That relationship is where “things” find their value. This I think is what Jesus was saying in His parable this morning. Where do find our security and with whom are our relationships?
For many of us working people here in America the 401K is how we are saving money. For many, the only way. It has been very effective and successful. It has been successful for many because the money comes directly from our payroll department. Most of us have enjoyed watching the dollars in our account grow. Depending on how long we have participated, the amount of money is quite impressive. Something about the rule of compounding etc. For me, and I expect for many, these accounts provide for us a sense of security! When I met with my advisor, his direction was that once all was in place, to let it all work; in other words, forget that you have it. For many of us, came a sense of security when we looked at our monthly statements. That seemed like a great plan, all well and good; that was, until the current economic crisis. The effects of this current crisis has touched nearly everyone. Not just those with 401K accounts, it also included many with their money safely put away in other investments. Those who have a good job, and perhaps a paid-up mortgage. Those many years from retirement and those soon to retire. One look at a monthly statement will remind you that you have lost a good chunk of your savings; and I would venture to guess some sense of security. Trillions of dollars have evaporated from those accounts that have become the prime source of retirement funds for most American workers, affecting their psyche and future. For those young enough there’s plenty of time to rebuild and recover. Investment advisors use the term “it’s only a paper loss” don’t panic! It occurred to me recently, isn’t it all just paper? It will remain just paper until the day that we do something with it. In other words, until you sell, you don’t incur the loss. In the same way, until you sell you don’t receive the gains either. It is all just sitting there on paper. Perhaps, providing a sense of security for the day that we want to use it. Aren’t our lives just paper, until we do something with them? All of the things that we possess; houses and toys, and all of the money is really just paper until we do something with them. That Our lives can remain just paper, in fact, we can die with unspent paper! Isn’t this what Jesus was telling the rich fool in the Gospel today?
I don’t think it means to live a life with the attitude: “eat, drink and be merry,” with the customary conclusion; “for tomorrow we die.”
Seneca, an early New Testament philosopher wrote, “How stupid to plan out the years ahead when you’re not even the master of tomorrow. What madness to start out with long term hopes, thinking, ‘I’ll buy and sell and build, I’ll lend money and take back more, and I’ll gain positions of honor. And when I’m too old and tired, I’ll retire.’ Believe me when I tell you everything is unsure, even for the most fortunate.”
In His parable Jesus was describing one character, living in his own world, making his own plans, anticipating the future as though he was entirely in control of it. The man thought he could write his own story; his wealth was the means that gives him the control over that story. His control was an illusion, we see that from the way he acquires his wealth in the first place; “there just happened to be a good harvest.” His wealth in effect was given to him. I think giving little regard to whom the gifts of treasure, talent and in the case of the rich fool, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully.” Little regard for who made the land, provided the weather, and made it all possible. The writing of the stories of our lives is done only a little my ourselves, mostly by other people, by what happens to us, but ultimately by God. I think easily forgotten by those of us with much.
I try to be acutely aware of the trap that the rich fool has fallen into. Almost 40 years ago, I started Chemical Containers, Inc. My story is one that God certainly had His hand in. It began with a man, a dream, and no money. An unlikely success story. Now, here we are 40 years later and more than 125 families. Many lives. I have always believed that God has provided the success with the expectation that I should use it for the benefit of others. Simply put, to make other lives better. However, it is easy to forget that when people use the term, “self-made man”. I must confess, there are times when I’m quiet and alone that I wonder who I would be if I lost everything.
People living on the edge of destitution are more naturally aware of how dependent they are on what happens to them. But the seduction of wealth is the Illusion it gives us of control of our lives.
The shock of verse 20 for the rich man is in discovering that it is God who really writes his story. Not only his wealth but his very life was given to him and can therefore be taken back; taken back at any time. The verb “required” indicates that the man’s soul, or life was on loan by God. The point being: you are now unable to enjoy the wealth that you have spent your life accumulating for yourself for your future will end up somewhere else! Many less selfish people find joy in passing on their wealth to their children or even to the poor. With that comes the risk of creating family division and strife as the children maneuver for their rightful share of the inheritance. Don’t we all know stories of families destroyed by the inheritance of their parents wealth? You see, the man in our Gospel lesson’s wealth has no value, only for him, as his own wealth, you see, he can no longer spend it. Someone else will!
The rich fool has spent his life accumulating wealth, however, the wealth he has accumulated cannot give him the security that he searches for. His wealth is impotent in the face of the most basic uncertainties of life, including the ever-present possibility of unexpected death. The parable suggests that we must trust in God for the only kind of security that exists. It is only when we trust in God that we can overcome the fear and insecurity that believes the false promise that our money, and possessions to are our security. The truth is they are just paper, all of the things accumulated are of no value until they are spent! That is when we spend the things that we cannot keep. Giving and sharing our lives with others. Making other lives better. Remembering that it never was ours, anyway.
Jesus said that true wealth, what really gives us security is being rich toward God. We acquire this wealth when we trust our future to God, not ourselves, not building up our own material fortunes.
Our rich fool was a greedy man. He was accumulating only for himself, his future, his happiness. It seems that he had no regard of what his money could do. His only concern was for keeping it, and in doing so, he lost it all.
You see, greed is a trap. St Thomas Aquinas defined greed as an immoderate love of possessing. Jesus says, “Beware of greed!”
I don’t that most of us intend to be greedy. I don’t think that we intend to give our money and possessions such power. It just happens. We become powerless to overcome the draw of great possessions and then in doing so the desire to keep them.
I will close with little story: A priest tells about a prayer he heard an old man pray at a worship service in Africa. The old man prayed, “Lord, let us never move into stone houses.” The priest had no idea what the prayer meant, so he found the man later and asked him.
The old man said, “You know Africa. You have seen our country. People here live in huts, and huts have no doors. That is why your family is my family, and my family is your family. But as soon as you move into a stone house, you build a door. On the door you put a lock, and behind your door you begin to accumulate more and more things. Then you have to spend the rest of your life protecting all that you have acquired.
We are people living in stone houses my friends.
It’s okay to be successful. Prosperity means to have no lack, but the man saw his wealth only as an opportunity for pleasure; not as an opportunity for giving, for making other’s lives better. Let us not keep them as just paper. When we spend them we acquire true richness towards God.
AMEN.