The Fruits of Putting God First

Splendor of Creation in Maine

Rev. Molly F. James, PhD

DFMS Noonday Prayer

Ezekiel 24:15-24; Psalm 79:1-8; Matt. 19:16-22

May God’s Word be spoken. May God’s Word be heard. May that point us to the living Word who is Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money* to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’” Well,  considering that you can see that I am still in my home office, and am present in chapel because I have my computer and the router downstairs is connecting me to the internet, you may have guessed that I did not follow through on Jesus’ command to the rich man before writing this sermon. In fact, I could not have written it without a most essential possession  -  my laptop! 

Now, if any of you have a Saint Francis moment after hearing this Gospel lesson, I am sure Amazon Marketplace or Ebay would be glad to help you sell all your possessions. Like Saint Francis, there is a good and noble history in the Christian tradition of choosing poverty as a way to serve God. I am not sure, however, that it is the path all of us are called to take. I think, actually, there is another layer of meaning in this reading. And it is one that can be particularly meaningful to us in these times when we may feel overwhelmed by all the anxiety in the world at present. 

It is worth asking why Jesus told this man to sell all his possessions. Was it really about the material goods or was there something else? I think what Jesus is emphasizing in his command to the rich man is that there is nothing that should come before your relationship with God. 

I don’t actually think Jesus is saying that possessions are all bad in and of themselves. He and the disciples needed clothes, shoes, food, and the occasional boat to travel around and conduct his ministry. It is not about the stuff. It is about how we view our possessions. Are we putting them above our relationship with God? 

At its root, the Gospel is asking us to check in on our priorities. Are we connected to God? Are we sufficiently grounded or are we finding ourselves distracted, frustrated or anxious? There is plenty to be anxious about in the world right now. The weight of the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism weigh heavily on our hearts. There is much uncertainty about what our work and family lives will look like in the coming weeks. We could set ourselves spinning about all kinds of scary what ifs or simply be emotionally overwhelmed by the magnitude of suffering in the world right now. 

In some ways those are the easy roads to go down, we could just fall into them slowly bit by bit, task by task. We need to choose God. Choose Faith. Choose Hope. It does require some work on our part. But here is the really good thing. It is a small amount of effort for an immeasurable reward. We know this. It is why we come to chapel. It is why we cultivate the relationships in our lives that are life-giving. The ones with people whose wisdom and sense of humor always helps us find our center and keep a broad perspective. The people who help us see God and ourselves more clearly. It is why we spend time in the splendor of creation. It is why we take a few minutes to sit and breathe deeply, to savor a cup of coffee or tea or a delicious meal. It is why we read books that make us laugh, that make us think, that warm our hearts. It is why we spend time with friends and family, particularly those of another generation -those who see the world differently, connecting us to the past and the future. It is why we do all of these things and whatever else feeds our souls.

So, consider yourself reminded that you will be a better follower of Jesus, a better human being, if you put your relationship with God first. Take note of the myriad of opportunities we have to do that each day. Yes, we have tasks and important work to do. And, we must always make time for that which really matters. For in so doing, we will be enriched. Our hearts will be more open, and we will be less anxious. We will have and be able to share more grace and peace. No doubt the world could use more grace and peace. May we always have the courage to choose God, and may we share the fruits of that choice will all those we meet. Amen.