Scripture: Hebrews 13:1-6; Luke 12:13-21

Sometimes it seems so overwhelming.  While we live in the wealthiest nation on earth, 13.3 million of our children are living in poverty.  That means one out of every six children in this country do not have access to proper food, housing, and medical treatment.  And, yes, the majority of them live with at least one working parent.

But the bad news doesn’t stop there.  Almost 900,000 children a year – one every 36 seconds – are abused or neglected.  That number doesn’t include the 200,000 children who are homeless.  That, by the way, is ¼ of our homeless population. 

If you are not depressed enough, consider this.  More than 8 out of 10 Black and Latino fourth graders in our public schools cannot read at grade level.  Six out of ten Caucasian students fall into this category.

So, what does all of this mean?  Well, according to the World Health Organization, we now rank 13^th among the developed nations in health care.  As for education, we have the sixth lowest high school graduation rate among the 30 industrialized economies.  (Statistics provided by the Children’s Defense Fund; www.childrensdefense.org)

Now, Christians, most of us don’t come to church expecting to hear about politics or money.  Yet, for over 70 years our elected officials have passed laws and levied taxes to support a vast array of social initiatives.  And, yes, the majority of our lives are better because of them.  My mother had a comfortable retirement because of the benefits she received from Social Security.  People can no longer be denied access to housing, education, and other basic services based upon the color of their skin, the country of their origin, or the circumstances of their birth.  Those with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities are no longer hidden away at home or locked up in institutions.  Yet, despite all these gains – despite all the well intentioned laws and regulations – there is not a law or government program that can change hearts and transform lives.  That is where we come in.

Last week we discussed the Parable of the Unjust Steward.  You remember the story.  The steward’s employer discovered he had been misusing resources and misdirecting company funds.  Suddenly, the man’s life began to crumble.  The first question he asked himself was: What should I do?

What should I do?  Friends, did you notice that was the exact question asked in today’s Parable of the Rich Fool?  Unlike the steward from last week, in this story  every thing the man owned – the land he had accumulated and the crops it produced – were the result of hard work and sacrifice.  When it finally paid off – when he realized how rich he really was – his first question was: What should I do?

What should I do?  The unjust steward answered his question by taking his ill-gotten wealth and giving part of it back to those who needed it the most.  The rich fool, however, took what he had legitimately earned and kept it for himself.  As a result of these actions, Jesus commended the first man and condemned the second.

What should I do?  That is the question we must answer, too.  As people of faith, as professing believers and members of Christ’s holy church, what should we do?  The answer we give will be especially crucial for us here at Lowman. God has, after all, blessed us with a wonderful facility, a talented staff, committed laity, strong stewards, and a community in need of Christ’s healing grace.  We are surrounded by children and youth who need a safe environment in which to tell their story and to hear our story about a loving God who cares.  There are single parents, struggling families, and older adults who are searching for support, acceptance, and guidance.  Then there are the larger issues such as poverty, violence, illiteracy, racism and addictions.  Behind each one of these statistics – behind each of these social challenges – are people who desperately need what we have – the great good news of Jesus Christ. 

So, what should we do?  Should we open our doors, our hearts, and resources by trusting God with all that we have?  Or, should we pull back and protect what is ours? 

William Barclay, a famous twentieth century Scottish biblical scholar, was reflecting upon today’s parable and what it should mean for Christians today.  He said at least two things stand out.  First, the man never saw beyond himself.  There is no other parable that is filled with words such as “I” and “me” . . . “my” and “mine”.  Secondly, he never saw beyond this world.  He never acknowledged the possibility of another life. 

It is my prayer that as we continue to discern God’s call for this congregation and for ourselves that we will learn from the rich man’s mistakes.  When we ask ourselves, What should we do, may we do so with a deep belief in the possibility of another life – another way of living – for ourselves and for others both now and for evermore. 

What should we do?  What is God asking of us?  Listen and believe:  Let mutual love continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.  Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.  Let marriage he held in honor by all . . . Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’  So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What can anyone do to me?  (Hebrews 13:1-6)