Following the Lilies

Take care!
Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed.
One’s life does not consist
in the abundance of possessions.

Take care!
Be on your guard
against jealousy of your brother
or your sister.
One’s life does not consist
in the abundance of possessions.

Take care!
Be on your guard
against legalistic conflict.
One’s life does not consist
in the abundance of possessions.

Take care!
Be on your guard
against self-satisfying
mirages of comfort.
One’s life does not consist
in the abundance of possessions.

Take care!
Be on your guard
for opportunities to share:
One’s life might just consist
in the abundance of generosity.

Take care!
Be on your guard
for opportunities to celebrate
your brother and your sister.
One’s life might just consist
in the abundance of gratitude.

Take care!
Be on your guard
for opportunities to forgive.
One’s life might just consist
in the abundance of grace.

Take care!
Be on your guard
for opportunities to give
your time, your wealth, your self.
One’s life might just consist
in the abundance of love.
Amen.

(Sarah Agnew, Pray the Story)

I have never been a big fan of money – I understand its necessity, but I don’t like it. in fact, I bitterly dislike what it does to us. the more we have the more we want and the less we want to share. some of the most generous people I have met have also been among the poorest, like the students here from India (where they were among the poorest, classless, people), who fed me when I visited their home to offer help with their studies. I was not expecting a meal, let alone the feast they laid before me.

Some years ago, in response to some controversial tax cuts for the rich, the then Prime Minister offered a justification, which could perhaps be a comment offered in more recent times by different politicians …  (This is a tweet from journalist, Hugh Riminton)

PM #ScottMorrison spells out the justification for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit those earning over $200k. “The harder (people) work, the more they earn, the more they keep of what they earn.”

The harder they work, the more they earn and the more they keep of what they earn.

Why should the ones who earn more get to keep more, more as in a higher proportion?

but asking that question overlooks the glaring inadequacy of the premise of the former Prime Minister’s statement – the harder people work the more they earn? excuse me, but what a load of entitled, privileged, rubbish. How utterly arrogant and dismissive of people who work low paying jobs, who work two or three jobs just to keep their heads bobbing above the poverty surface line. Not work as hard as the rich or richly paid? I disagree. and I have to say such a claim made me at the time, and still makes me quite angry. And I suspect it would make Jesus angry, too.

The man in Jesus’ parable worked hard. He earnt more and more. So much more he had to build bigger barns in order to keep more of what he earned. And just as he was preparing to enjoy all he had earned and kept to himself: nope. You don’t get to enjoy any of it. None of it. Your self was the only one of whom you thought, and will consequently be the only one not to benefit.

The truth of human life is that we are fully human together, not alone.

the call of the kin-dom of God is for all to have enough.

for all to have enough.

so that when we have more than we need, more than enough, the gospel imperative is to share it. the kin-dom way is to share it, to help the others who have less than they need, to lift each other up, so that all may have enough. enough food, safety, education, employment, joy, health, love …

Do you know what it does to you to be generous? it gladdens your heart. it heals all manner of wounds we may carry. it generates more generosity, in ourselves, and in each other.

do you know what it does to you to be grateful? to be attentive to what we have received by gift or endeavour, and be thankful? it gladdens your heart. it heals all manner of wounds. it generates more gratitude in ourselves and each other.

this healing, these generative practices, promote life, promote healthy people and healthy communities.

So, consider the lilies; consider the paradox of how in the kin-dom of God we find our way to having enough by seeking enough for each other.

Let me say that again.

in the kin-dom of God, we find our way to having enough by seeking enough for each other.

to do that, we must make like the lilies – and trust, sink our roots deep into the soil that is God, in whom we have life; reach our leaves and buds and petals for the air and sun and the rain with gratitude; be our best selves to contribute our unique beauty, dignity, worth, into the garden with generosity.

So consider the lilies. Consider how generosity nurtures your heart and enriches your life and life for others. How gratitude nurtures your heart and enriches your life and life for others. How ‘enough’ means enough for all, not me, or even me and mine, alone.

To finish, I offered a prayer-poem from John van de Laar, Enough.

Sarah Agnew, Pray the Story, sarahagnew.com.au/pray-the-story-podcast