Those who have had children and fur babies can attest to the need to share generously. These little ones take up space in our rooms, on our chairs, and in our beds. We are expected to share our food, our time, our privacy. Having little ones in our care means we need to change our perspectives and accommodate their needs and wants. Of course, we do so because we love them.
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."
We don’t know the whole story behind this inquiry. There is no indication in this singular sentence about the true dynamic and circumstances of these individuals. We can’t say if one is in need and the other is hoarding the wealth. We don’t know if this is the voice of a woman who has been excluded from family resources simply because of her gender. We don’t have enough information to determine if this situation is one of justice (the children received according to their needs) or injustice (the resources are not being shared). We are familiar with the underlying concern.
Beyond the immediate household and care for children and fur babies, society is not so good at sharing. The crisis is Gaza is perhaps the most extreme example of this reality in our time but there are so many others. The prevalence of food banks and even our clothing cupboard are reminders that people in our communities, people who are our neighbours do not have access to the basic resources they need to survive. We are not great at sharing beyond our homes.
It is a systemic issue. The wealthiest 1% of the population, a mere 62 people, hold as much in financial resources as nearly half the world. These individuals prefer massive yachts, million-dollar weddings, and yes, even gold toilets, over the possibility of paying their employees a living wage or otherwise ensuring people have enough resources to sustain their lives.
"Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."
We know that the imbalance of wealth is unjust. Those familiar with the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) service also know that when our gifts are collected at the offertory, the subsequent prayer is taken from first Chronicles:
Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel, for ever and ever. All that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. All things come from thee, and of thine own have we given thee. (BCP, p74)
All things come from thee and of thine own have we given thee. The words are a reminder that everything we have in this world is an inheritance from God. Our food, our clothing, our homes, our resources, our abilities, and yes, even our lives are gifts from God. We get to choose what to do with them. We can choose to hold on tightly to what we have refusing to share with others out of fear that there won’t be enough for us. We can build bigger barns and trust in our own abilities.
Or we can make room for others. We can take up less space in the bed so that our children and fur babies can join us. We can share our food and treats and watch with joy as those we love enjoy what we have. We can share our time and gifts generously going for walks, playing games, supporting the wellbeing of others because we love them.
All things come from thee and of thine own have we given thee. Every act of sharing, whether it is among family, in church, or in the world is an opportunity to return to God what God has given us. Generosity is our way of saying to God that we trust God has provided enough and we will make sure that those who need it will have what they need. It is up to us to decide what to do with our inheritance. May we continually choose generosity trusting that to give in love is an opportunity to experience love, from those to whom we give and from the One who has loved us first, God, Creator, Redeemer, Life-Giving Spirit and gift provider. All this we pray as we sing: (VT) 712 Beauty for Brokenness