Money = Blessing (not)

At the last funeral I officiated, the cousin who spoke of the deceased said this, "Kevin had a philosophy that there are some things money can fix, and somethings it just can't."

There are those who have the financial means to fix the stuff that breaks down in their lives; a car, an old termite ridden fence, worn out wardrobe. Most people who are lucky enough to have the cash on hand often discount themselves as being "blessed." And in many ways they are.

But what does that say about those who are unable to keep their head above water when things aren't broken in their life? Are they "less blessed?"

As I write this thought, I am sitting outside in the warm sunshine while others I know are stuck indoors escaping the freezing cold. I am also sitting in the backyard of my home while less than a mile away from a makeshift "skidrow" where men and women and families who have lost everything do their best to survive. Am I really more blessed than them? I, like them, have no job, no income coming in.

And as I sit in the warmth of my fenced in backyard, I begin to see wasp nest forming on my tattered roof, I see a fence that is held up by rope, and spots along the deck where the termites have returned. I see these things and fear begins to overtake me. The sun no longer feels warm but angry...like it's going to make my grass wither and die if I don't spend money to water it.

Have you ever felt that fear? Whether you are one with money or one without or somewhere in between, I'm sure you've experienced that heavy weight that living in this world places on us. I struggle with this, moreso now that I am not working. What will we need to sacrifice in order to fix the fence? What will one child have to go without because another needs cleets for softball? These are legitimate concerns for many in this world. But it doesn't mean we are any less blessed.

How do you see the blessings in front of you?

Looking back at Kevin's philosophy, there are some things money can fix. Money can fix termite damage, broken fences, wasp nest and bad roofs. But money can't fix me. I am broken and in constant need of repair. And yet, there is God...with a set of God wrenches in hand...ready to repair and redeem me. Free of charge. The repair bill has been paid for. A blessing that levels the field so all can participate in life, restored and renewed.

What money can't fix, God does. In fact, God already has. That is the Blessing we are given. Blessed are those who are called children of God.