The problem with Money
The Message: August 3rd , 2025
Two weeks ago, Kathy and I had a wonderful vacation time with three of our kids and seven grandchildren. We rented a house north of the Muskoka’s. And it was great. There was a treat area and pathways and not too far. There was a waterfall so lots of great things outside. Downstairs in the house with a That had a big screen TV. And about a foot away from the big screen TV was a dartboard. Now what we know is that the TV was working on the first night that we got there. But by the last night it was not. A mystery? Now the middle grandchild, right smack in the middle of the seven confessed that somehow a dart he had thrown had hit the TV and he had bad aim not just once but twice. Mystery solved. We don’t own a big screen TV, so we didn’t know how much they cost. Now there is no happy ending to this story, no magical and mysterious appearance of a new TV, free of charge nor any insurance we could call upon. It meant being out of pocket for that TV.
Which ironically is very similar to the story we heard in the gospel lesson today. There is no happy ending, no last-minute reprieve from the governor or from God. The rich man dies and all the wealth that he had celebrated and planned to hoard means nothing. But the ending of the story meaningless unless we understand how this story began. The story actually begins with Jesus, being asked by a person in a crowd to intercede on his behalf. It seems the man’s parents have died and now his older brother has refused to share any of the inheritance with him. He wants Jesus’s help. Now you might think as I did, that this is merely a question of justice. Why wouldn’t Jesus ask for justice on behalf of this man who seems to be so hard done by his own brother? So, Jesus tells this story in response to why he is not going to get involved in these money issues.
One of the big lessons for the hard done by brother, is that money isn’t the issue. If your brother won’t share the inheritance with you, then your problems pre-date the inheritance. Rev. Dr. Patricia Lull says in her commentary on this passage that, “money serves as a kind of thermostat for interpersonal issues of anxiety and control in families and congregations.” Obsession with money which a major component of this parable, does four things. First it increases anxiety within the individual and therefore within the communities in which they associate. This anxiety sucks the community into frantic activity to address that anxiety. By the way, the feeling of anxiety, is always greater than the actual problem at its root. Secondly, this obsession becomes an unnecessary distraction. Rev. Dr. David J Schlaffer writes, “Distractions, obscure clear discernment and lead to choices and commitments that are often tragically foolish.” This is, of course what Jesus says in the parable of the foolish rich landowner. The rich landowner is already rich, and more riches become a distraction. He is so distracted that he is unaware of how close he is to death. Thirdly, this distraction leads to behavior that not only doesn’t solve the problem, it makes problems of its own. What am I going to do with all my riches? And lastly, it robs the community and the individuals of the time, energy, and focus of doing what is important for the well-being of the community. You can tell the health of a congregation by how they deal with money. And by that I don’t mean how much money but rather money as treated. Is it a means to an end or is it the end. Does the congregation see it as filled with opportunities or problems? If it is an opportunity, it helps us focus on or attends to the wellbeing of the community and beyond. This it is what Jesus calls the Kingdom of God or Riches of God.
Ultimately that is where the rubber hits the road. When we as individuals or as community allow ourselves to become so distracted that we don’t attend to our personal or social wellbeing. Our relationships suffer. Our health, both emotional and physical, suffers. Our faith suffers. And even our connection to reality suffers. The rich man thinks he has a problem. But the truth is he has a tremendous opportunity. The obsession with how to hold on to more riches prevent him from asking how can I help others with this unexpected bounty? The truth is, this bounty is a road to connect with others who need his support. And even if the rich man is uncomfortable with giving money to strangers doesn’t he have any friends. In the story of the lost coin and the lost sheep or the prodigal son those who find or receive the blessing have the wisdom to call their friends together and celebrate. That is the contrast with the riches of God and the riches that wear out. The riches of God draw us together. The riches of God allow us to trust and lean on God in good times and bad. Once again quoting from Rev. Patricia, “The capacity to trust in God deepens only as other matters lessen their grip on us.”
Maybe that is the work of the long lazy days of summer. To spend time reflecting, maybe even praying, about what has a hold on our hearts and minds? What things are we holding on to that keep important relationships at arm’s length? And of-course asking God to help us loosen their grip on us or our grip on it.
You know the wisdom of the psalms like the one we read in the call to worship, which Jesus undoubtedly draws on, reminds us that we are all going to die. On our last day or last night which you rather? To be looking into the soft eyes and surrounded by warm hearts of those you love. Or to looking into the cold hard cash that you cannot take with you? Only a fool would choose the cash.
This wisdom doesn’t fix TV’s, nor does it make one’s aim better, but it reminds us of what is important and what are the true riches in and of our lives. Money is good but love is better. Amen