The Stuff of Earth

The late Rich Mullins wrote the line "The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the Giver of all good things" in his "If I Stand". It was very appropriate for today's lectionary readings in church.

First, from Ecclesiates 1 and 2, the Preacher proclaiming "all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14, all scripture today ESV). The Epistle reading, from Colossians 3 tells us to "Set (y)our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (3:2) - this reading talks about non-physical earthly things: sexual immorality, evil desire, greed, anger, slander, and other such "things" of earth. We who are Christians are supposed to have left the old self behind. I know that if you get me in NJ traffic, sometimes I allow the old self to slip out. I should not; I should hold to my "new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (3:10)

The Gospel reading today, from Luke 12:13-21, talks more about the physical "stuff of earth". The parable of the rich farmer, who has a bumper crop, and decides to hoard it. Eleven times the words I and my are used. There is no mention of family, nor is there mention of giving a tithe to the temple or a portion to the poor. He builds bigger barns to store his goods so that he may now live a life of ease. And then he dies that night. Great lot of good his new barns and his bumper crop did him, eh?

So what does this mean? Mullins puts it in the simplest of terms. We do not owe our allegiance to anything here on earth. Not our jobs, families, possessions, not even to the churches or synagogues where we worship. We owe our allegiance only to God, who has given all to us. This does not mean we should sit back, relax, do nothing. This does not mean we should not enjoy our possessions.

Rather, we should not put either our faith or our energy into what is truly vanity, that which is passing and will not be eternal. Our hearts should be turned to the Giver of those things that are ours for a time, for a season.