I'm rich! And so are you!

Growing up I learned that grace could be defined as God's riches at Christ's expense.  It's one of those nice acrostic things.  That phrase works really well for those of us who know God's riches but for those who don't know God's riches or was it cost Christ - it's somewhat meaningless. 

But we're going to stick with it today.  We're going to look at how rich we really are.  It never ceases to amaze me how rich I truly am and how seldom I realize it.  I had to get new tags for my car last Friday. I generally dread going into the BMV.  But I had a new perspective when I walked in there.  I realized that I got to do something that less than 8% of the world's population got to do - have a car. 

I rode in a friend's car not too long ago and he opened his ash tray to pull out some change before going into the store.  Not that's rich!  And most of us are just like him - we keep money in a trash can.  We have houses, clean water, enough clothes that we have to decide what we'll wear not where we'll get our clothes from. 

You see if we would allow our perspective to change a bit, we just might see how great God's riches already have been showered on us.  Instead we get grumpy when we don't have everything we want.  We complain and grumble when we work hard and don't get our raise - because we deserve it we think.  We close an eye to those who have nothing.  We turn our heads so we don't have to look at the homeless man on the streets.  We change the channel so we don't have to see the television commercial with the starving children.  We ignore the news so we don't have to see all the families displaced by storms and other natural disasters. 

I believe living in God's grace, his undeserved goodness, means that we walk around with our eyes wide open.  I've challenged everyone at our church to do this and just write down the good that's happened to them this week.  This has caused me to see all kinds of things that I probably would've just ignored.  God has promised you riches that you couldn't even comprehend, and honestly most of us reading this today have those riches and we don't even recognize it. 

Take time today to give thanks for the riches that God has given you.  Lord, thanks for all the things in my life.  For my family, house, car, and all the rest I thank you.   Help me to be more grateful for the stuff you've given me.  Help me to share what I have with those who don't have anything.  Amen.