True Wealth
There are some things money can't buy.
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness." Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me." Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans. - Acts 8:14-25
Today's reading is a reminder that the really important things we receive in this life are not things we earn or purchase, but things given freely.
I know someone who spent a good part of his life seeking material treasures.
He wanted to have it all, and the quest for the right house in the right location, the fancy car and boat and motorcycle, the best toys made him angry at the world, for every obstacle kept him from gaining what he thought was precious.
But at some point our quest for self gratification takes its toll, pushing away all we love and all who love us, so he turned around. He let go of the things he treasured and reconnected with all he had abandoned.
What he discovered in the process was a lesson we can all benefit from learning. As Jesus told his disciples, all these things we treasure can be eaten by moths or rust. They do not last. Only love lasts.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we live life in love. We treasure moments and encounters rather than things, and we build a treasure chest of memories that last forever in the hearts of those we touch and those who touch us.
Eternal life is so much more than a promise of an afterlife. It is the promise of staying alive in the Spirit that connects us all.
Today I say goodbye to a friend who taught us all how to live in the Spirit, to be alive and joyful in all he did, and to make memories that will last a lifetime for all of us who knew him.
And if we are smart, we too will shed the things that lack meaning and focus on those gifts of joy and love and grace that make us truly wealthy, with all the treasures of Heaven at our disposal.
Until we meet again, my friend, thank you for everything.
More to come...