Written by: Jennifer Wells, Blue Ride
Today has been a great day thus far. It started out with going to church then taking a cyclist to the airport. I then returned to church to hear the readings. The Gospel today was Luke 12:13-21.
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Parable of the Rich Fool. Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”
In this reading we are reminded that our earthly possessions are not as important as striving for the rewards of heaven. After the reading the pastor spoke about Millard Fuller who was a millionaire by the age of 29. Upon learning that he was a millionaire he wanted to strive for 10 million. The rich man in the parable wanted to build larger barns for his worldly possessions. Millard wanted to grow his business to something bigger. In the midst of striving for the next 10 million his wife Linda told him that she was no longer in love with him. After a painful separation Millard realized with Linda’s help that he had become more concerned about his work, growing the business and less concerned about his relationship with God and his family. Together they decided to give away everything. They realized that storing up worldly possessions is not rich in what matters to God.
Can you imagine giving away your possessions and starting all over? I think it is so awesome that Millard and Linda were able to do this and set an example of living a more simple life so that others could simply live. In living this way for awhile the Fuller Center for Housing was born.
Yesterday we were able to help two individuals. In one home lived an elderly veteran. In the other a widow of a veteran. Both of these individuals needed our help so that they wouldn’t be fined by the city of Peoria for code violations. While listening to the sermon this morning I was reminded of the people that really appreciated our help yesterday. What a wonderful organization the Fuller Center for Housing is.
On another note, 11 of us went to a winery today. It was a lot of fun. Dave M. found a bottle of wine named “Dave”. Of course he couldn’t pass up the opportunity of buying a bottle. It is not every day that you find a bottle of wine named after you!! Truth be known the owner of the winery is named Dave.
So now off to the next build day to help others which is in Springfield, Ohio this Friday.
