This post, by Tamara Hiscock, is a reflection on “The Meaning of Life” sermon as part of the “In the Name of Jesus” sermon series.
Sunday I was given the chance to sit with what it means to be “rich” and to self-reflect and ask myself…was I a rich fool?
The answer that I reached was…Yes; yes indeed I am at times.
For many years I placed my happiness on things and on other people. I collected sports memorabilia and I went to every autograph signing that took place in the city. I was that person who would wait after the basketball game just to meet a certain player so I could get them to sign a picture; I was rich. I was wealthy in what I thought was valuable. What a fool.
The question I asked myself on Sunday is this: Who or what is currently acting as the placeholder for God in my life? What is my treasure? What is the meaning of life? And it has changed throughout time but without fail every single time that thing, all that stuff, or that person hasn’t been able to carry out its duty. I’ve tried placing my riches in myself and that was a failure of epic proportions. God knows I loved my Dad and I couldn’t imagine life without him; now here I am living without him. I briefly lost my nephew-the person who took up my whole heart-I continued living, but it wasn’t the stuff that was keeping me afloat. It wasn’t all those autographs hanging on my wall and sitting in my closet that gave my life meaning and purpose, even though their wealth can be transcribed to paper wealth. I’ve learned that the only placeholder for God…is God. We need to be rich in Him.
For a lot of us there will be a time when we experience some type of hardship: we’re scrambling to find money to pay the rent, we lose our job through no fault of our own, we’re dealing with mental health issues, our health takes a downward spiral, our marriage falls apart and we suffer immeasurable loss. Hopefully, for most of us who have children or a special child in our life. We die first. I have heard that the worst thing in life is to have to bury your own child. I haven’t experienced this, but I believe it to be true. So, what happens then? What happens if we were to be stripped away of all our earthly riches? Are homeless people with nothing but the clothing on their backs poor; maybe only here on earth.
I have an Aunt who continuously amazes me with her faith. She has four sons, three of whom she lost to pretty tragic circumstances. One passed away due to SIDS, one was in a snowmobiling accident and the other committed suicide when he was 15 years old while she was attending church with her husband and youngest son. A few months after her son committed suicide, her husband filed for divorce. He had a secret family with a new baby on the way. Only two weeks later and her house that held the memories of her children and all her stuff; was gone. A fire destroyed everything that she owned.
I remember asking her once “How do you do it? How do you keep on living? What is the meaning of life? What is the point? I wouldn’t be able to continue on.” I still remember her response.
“It’s not about the things that I lost. It’s not about whether or not I can do it. I can’t, but Jesus can. My faith is what keeps me going. My heart for Jesus is my purpose.”
She was rich not in her sons, or her husband, or her marriage or her house and all the contents in it. All that stuff. She was rich in Jesus.
So, I bring the question: Are you a rich fool? Who or what do you live for? Where is your wealth? What is the meaning of your life?