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Bethlehem, PA 18018
610-867-3705
www.rosemontlutheran.com
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We are truly rich
beyond imagination . . .
Pastor's
Message Page
greets us as we turn up the first aisle. I love to see my son's face light up. I love how the different types of
candies are divided into sections based on a set of standards that motivate different types of candy buyers. I
would never dream of buying anything but an "old standard" - a Hershey Bar, a Milky Way, M&M's (plain or
peanut). For my daughter, it's all about what's new - what's cool. For my son, it's all about quantity, not
quality.
When it comes to candy, my kids and I have different standards, different ways of weighing out and
determining what is good and what is bad. And when it comes to life, everyone has a different set of
standards for determining taste and tastefulness. Although we try not to admit it, the truth is that today, more
than ever, we are a society that judges everything and everyone according to monetary value. We assume that
if something costs a lot, it must be good - but if another version costs even more, it must be better. "Why
does this peanut butter only cost 99 cents? It must not be any good. I'll take that one for $2.99." If it costs
more, it must be better.
Whatever happed to the beauty of simple gifts and small acts of kindness? I'm getting kind of tired hearing
"Sir, can I super size that for you for only 39 cents more?" Has super sizing become today's standard?
You and I are demanding a big bank for our bucks. It is no longer enough to give us what we pay for. We
insist on getting something even more as well. Isn't it true that we want some perk, some freebie, or some
incentive, to go along with all our purchases? Buy this deodorant...get one free. Super size your fired . . .for
just 39 cents more. Pay $60.00 to stay in a cheap motel . . .but get a complimentary "continental breakfast."
How are we measuring our lives. What scales are we using? Does anyone use the scales of love anymore to
measure life? What would happen if you began to measure your life by the acts of love that filled it? Would
you find yourself "rich" or "poor"?
As Christians, we are the recipients of the greatest gift of love every given: the sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ
for our sake. We are truly rich beyond imagination. I guess what it comes down to is this: can we, like the
poor widow in the Bible (Mark 12:38-44), find the courage to share the wealth we hold? Are we willing to
stop dribbling out our stores of love and selflessness and sacrifice and compassion and dare to pour out our
whole heart, our whole life, into the world that so desperately needs it?
Pastor Steltzer