“Trading Places” was an early 80’s movie about a wealthy, but outcast Louis Winthorpe III, and a homeless man, Billy Ray Valentine who, through a complex set of circumstances end up (you guessed it) trading places. Valentine receives the wealth and privilege of Winthorpe while Winthorpe suffers the pains of poverty. It’s a kind of remake of Mark Twain’s, “The Prince and the Pauper.” Both/either serve as the jumping-off point for the second installment of October’s worship theme, “Fields of Gold.”
The objective of “Field’s of Gold” is to encourage us to move from fearful to cheerful giving! Yes, it is about generously investing our money in Kingdom work – but God’s Call to cheerful giving is much, much bigger than finances alone. It is essentially about the sin of hoarding vs the grace of generous giving.
Consider how too much of anything moves from blessing to curse. Eating proper portions provides health while overeating leads to obesity. Forgiving from our heart restores relationships and “hoarding forgiveness” births the destruction of grudges. Serving the Lord through serving those in need lifts spirits and circumstances while laziness fosters destruction of both. Generously giving our tithe funds God’s mission while “leftover” giving robs God. (Malachi 3.15,16)
At the end of the day, the overall question is about what we’re going to do with all the Lord’s blessings? Keep them? Invest them? In both trading places stories the characters that went from rags to riches clung to their newfound wealth and abundant resources, to their detriment. If you went through a “generosity audit” how would you do? Do you cling to the gifts making them more important than the Gift Giver? Or…would your “generosity audit” illustrate a confidence that the Gift Giver will continue to supply all you need – and more!?
I’m glad to know the Gospel story of how Jesus did his own version of Trading Places and took my place and my curse from selfish clinging. I’m glad to know and delighted to proclaim Jesus has illustrated the abundant Power and Peace that comes from trusting God will supply an overflow of blessings designed for me to distribute…trusting He is the Lord of More to Come!
See you in worship tomorrow, Good Lord willing,
Karl