Christmas 08

Mark writes...

'A rich industrialist had had an excellent year and got an enormous bonus. He thought to himself, “Just how am I going to spend this? I work so hard that I am perfectly justified in spending this on myself.

Then he thought, “I know what I will do. I will buy another large house in the country just in case I ever get a day off. I will furnish it with expensive ornaments and the most extravagant furnishings I can buy. I will purchase a new top-of-the-range convertible with my own personalized number-plate. I could even afford a private jet. This would be very useful because I am such an important person and it would help me to get around all my businesses quicker. Then I will be able to look around and say to myself, “Look at what I have achieved.” I have got so much here. I will really be able to enjoy myself in the years ahead. One day, I keep promising myself, I will take life easy. I will eat, drink and be merry.”

But the man lived like a fool. He lived just for himself. He lived as if this life would go on for ever. But that night he died. So who is now going to get all the things he had so selfishly stored up for his future use?

The message of this story is clear. This is how it is going to be for everyone who hoards things for themselves and ignores God's teaching and the desperate needs of others.'

Do you talk much about money? I don't mean about money in general: I mean about your own money (or lack of it)? Some people say that talking about money is a bigger taboo than talking about sex or politics, or even religion.

It might surprise you to hear that Jesus talked about money all the time. What we do with it. What we don't do with it. How important it is to us. In fact, about 15% of his recorded words – and two-thirds of the stories he told - have to do with money. So perhaps those of us who say we are his followers need to talk more than we do about the role money plays in our lives? To talk honestly and compassionately and non-judgmentally, with grace and love. To support those going through hard times and, maybe, sometimes to challenge one another to deal more wisely with what we have earned or been given. After all, there's a lot at stake.

(The above is a retelling of one of Jesus' stories by Keith Tondeur, from his book “Street Parables”. To read the original, see chapter 12 of Luke's gospel. And check out Keith Tondeur's website, www.creditaction.com for some very helpful money advice.)

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