2 Corinthians 6:10 - Owning Nothing and Everything

        God has a lot to say about money and riches.  Obviously, as we all know, there are earthly riches and spiritual riches.  Which do I think about more?  I’ve made and lost a lot of money over the years.  I’m in my early 50s now.  My highest earning years were my 30s when I was a securities lawyer and then as a private equity advisor.  I advised and invested in various industries including software, energy, and real estate.  I knew a lot; but, I didn't apply what I knew to my own investing.  I lacked wisdom.  I made and lost millions.

        Through the years God’s been getting after my heart.  What do I really care about?  What motivates me?  I wasn’t a good steward of what God gave me.  At times I was extremely generous, and at other times extremely reckless.

        Money is a funny thing.  You never have enough of it.  It so obviously does not make people satisfied.  Yet we are to be good stewards of God’s resources.  He is the owner of everything.  With God, rich or poor by worldly standards, we have everything.  I’ve been thinking recently about whether or not the Church honors and obeys Jesus by how we care for the poor.  We know we should, but do we?  Are we generous, and selfless?

        I’ve advised and worked with many millionaires over the years.  In my 30s I was one myself.  I’m not anymore.  To be honest, I wish I was - but only kinda.  While I’m frustrated with myself for my stupidity and reckless investment style and blind trust and lack of diversification (I was almost entirely invested in the natural gas industry before the 2008 bust in natural gas prices) I am also thankful for what God has taught me and is teaching me.  Over the last twelve years or so God has taught my family and me to rely on Him and not on worldly possessions.  Worldy stuff can go away in a flash - a blink of an eye.

        Lots of rich people own multiple homes, planes, cars, real estate, companies, various collections of wine, horses, or whatever.  I no longer seek that.  I’d like decent wheels and I’m so thankful we have a good warm and dry house.  But I don’t want a collection of cars or houses.  Zero interest in that now.  There are very few millionaires that I’ve advised over the years that I would say have what matters.  Few (there are some) have spiritual riches, generosity, the love and respect of their family, friends, and strangers, peace, joy, freedom from addiction or anger, low blood pressure, happiness, contentment, encouragement, a clear conscience, joy, confidence in those they are mentoring in Christ and a relationship with our loving Father in Heaven.  I pray for each of them; may they have all those things that come only from the Spirit of Christ.  You can’t buy that.  Or measure it.  But you can receive it from God and pass it on to others.

        We don’t really ever own anything.  But God's people have everything because God is Good and generous, kind, forgiving, and patient.  And loving.  I have everything because Jesus, the Son of God, was born to the virgin Mary, as promised in Scripture, lived a sinless life, taught those who would hold the fearful responsibility of building His people, and proved He was God by submitting to death and by His power rising to new life.

        May we trust in God alone today.  Not in anything else.  May we be different.  Different good.  May we be filled with love and courage.  Amen.

My son Ben and my grandson Colt.