Beanies and Jesus

Beanie Babies are the big thing kids are collecting right now. Sometimes, you aren't even sure why you want the Beanie Baby you're begging your parents for, except that "I don't have that one yet!" You even wish you were rich and could buy every single one.

If Jesus were shopping, He probably wouldn't buy Beanie Babies. In this week's Gospel (Luke 12:13-21), Jesus talks about sharing with other people instead of collecting everything for ourselves.

Jesus told this story: "Once there was a rich man whose farm had lots of crops. He asked himself what to do with all the food. `I know!' he thought. `I'll build big barns for it and then party, because I'll have all I need for years to come!' But God said, `You fool! You're going to die tonight. What will happen to all you saved up?'" Jesus finished, "That's what happens to people who keep everything for themselves, but aren't rich in what matters to God."

The Princess Diana bear is the hottest Beanie Baby right now. People are paying hundreds of dollars for the little purple bear, and lots of kids dream of having one.

The farmer in the Gospel story was like someone who owned a Princess bear. He was so rich that he could have something special: all the food he needed for years. That was very important to him, and he wanted to keep it all to himself.

Collecting Beanie Babies is fun; but after a while, they're not going to be as important any more. Like the "Tickle Me Elmo" doll everyone wanted last Christmas, they'll get old and boring.

That's just what God told the rich man -- that all the food he had wouldn't help him if he wasn't going to have his life. Jesus didn't mean people would die for collecting things; He just wanted us to remember that the same money that buys one Princess bear would buy food for lots of poor people.

The next time you're holding a Beanie Baby, think of what else you could buy with that money. Beanies might make you happy now, but helping other people makes you -- and God -- happy forever.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me to collect the best thing of all: time with you! Amen.

(07-30-98)

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