Riches

The tree is up. The lights are on. The decorations are placed. Mornings with the tree on in the dark hours are one of those simple pleasures that make me feel rich.

The truth is that I am rich compared to the majority of people in the world, but often my attitude is one of poverty. Sometimes it comes from a walk through the mall. Other times it comes after a visit to the beautiful house of a friend. Occassionally it's when I check my bank balance! :)

I got an email today that made me rethink riches once again. This is part of a report from a pastor in S. Asia:

God is really good all the time. Very busy these days. . . oh the street kids ministry is really going awesome. We are having each day 17 to 20 people. We used to do friday only before but now we thought to open in everyday. Oh kids are enjoying the time with us. They have found us not beating them, scold them, be harsh on them, but loving them. Oh they are learning prayers, bible stories, songs dances. PTL. Oh I can see many kids have decided to follow Lord and love Lord. They speak with there mounth confessing each day "Though no ones loves me, Jesus loves me and he is beside me" and many things like that. We did calvary story already. Of course the room we rented in faith is so small and difficult to manage kids when they play (games). They are doing crayons too, alfabets. I'm very glad that they got to hear about Jesus and knew that God hears them in the time of troubles.

I've been picturing this pastor, a man who has ministered to the least of these through his own material poverty, in heaven. His head is so over-laden with crowns that he has some held in his hands and even tucked under his arm. His white, linen robes almost as bright as the joy of his smile as he lays those crowns one by one at the feet of Jesus.

Can you see it too? That man is rich.

My heart is crying out in response, "Lord, what is required of ME? How do you want me to invest the riches that I've been given?"