Funny thing about wealth

There is a funny thing about wealth. First off, what is wealth? I know writers that claim wealth is in the heart. We are rich in the lives we lead. I suppose that is true if we want it to be that way. Those little kids on the streets of America or in Cambodia might not believe you. Those who experienced a death or divorce might be poor in spirit, they lack wealth in the heart. The idea of wealth, is that we should be rich. We have a right to be rich. Do we?

            I think the idea of communism was the redistribution of wealth. Take away the rich and give to the poor. Isn’t the idea of Robinhood the same way? Isn’t the idea of a commune or utopia the same thing? I bet that Hitler sold the populist the same idea. Take from the Jews and give back to the people. You can call it redistribution, communism, socialism, or anything you want. Disaster is always waiting for you to make that move.

            I think people give people too much credit. There is communism in Russia, and the likes of North Korea. In both places we see long lineups for food. The poor are very poor. The rich are still very rich. The difference is communist party rich. Venezuela changed government and began to move towards a socialist regime. Today the economy is poor and so are the people. I bet the rich in these places did not redistribute their wealth. The wealth left for greener pastures.

            In some minds there is a utopia. A place like heaven or Shangri-La. How about Atlantis, Eden, or the promised land. Muslims promise rewards. Christians even promise treasures in heaven. People want a good place to live. Throughout history we have fought for peace. Generally speaking we have never achieved it. I think it might be worse today than any other point in history. Tell me a safe country today? Tell me an Eden today? The only reason we are caught in the global warming craze is because of greed and the search for utopia.

            What does God have to say about this? In Matthew 24 Jesus says you will hear rumors of wars and see great signs like earthquakes. Yet, he says they are only signs of things to come. The most troubling part of this to me is the things to come. It’s called the end of times. In the Bible there is a lot of talk about a coming storm. There is little talk or description about heaven. It’s not that hell, damnation, and judgment are more important. I feel it’s more that were dwelling on utopia more than the here and now.

            God wants us to live good lives. God asks us to let him show us the way. The way to utopia? No, the way to make lives better today. Wishing for Eden or redistribution of wealth is like hoping our there is life on mars or that ghosts are real. They are possibilities but in the time and space of life they don’t matter. Food matters. Jobs matter. Lives matter. The hope of a wealthy future is ok. Living rich in heart is better. That means love more, care more, and give more to others. The return is more likely that they will care more, love more, and give more back to you.

            Recently the NFL and some other sports have been protesting inequality. These rich men are kneeling during the anthem. They are fighting for the poor with a knee. It’s nice they care. It’s not nice they take a knee and do nothing else. I bet they are not redistributing their wealth to the poor. They are not giving to make policing better. Rich black lives matter on a knee. Poor black lives want more than a knee.

            Here is a thought on knees. We kneed better policing. We kneed better government. We kneed more food, jobs, and safer communities. We kneed these influential men in our communities working with the kneedy. What we don’t kneed is rich black men crying. We don’t kneed rich white men crying with them arm in arm. We don’t kneed rich government telling us they care. Another program and another law to help the poor is not kneeded. Time spent with us who kneed is kneeded.

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