Where we spend our money reflects our priorities. This applies to our homes, churches, workplaces, and our nation. It is often stated that if you want to know where a person’s priorities lie look at where they spend their money. Do we value education, safety, entertainment? What is it? Hopefully we place a high value on caring for others and ourselves. If you look at our nation’s spending we tend to value our safety and caring for others, somewhat. Military spending and Medicare are some of our biggest spending areas. What does that really say about us? That is a good question to ponder. Where do you spend your money? What is your biggest area of spending?
In our state we spend a lot of money on education, something I think we are all happy to do. Education has been and should be a priority to us all, but unfortunately education spending is being devalued. We are being told that we spend enough on the education of our children, while in the same breath we are told that we need to increase our safety from the “bad guys”, whoever they are.
How are our priorities connected to our mortality.
In the recent months I’ve been thinking about the afterlife and what is ahead for all of us. Thinking about this is something I really don’t like to do but all of are forced to deal with our own mortality. Much of the biblical material about heaven focuses on the “host” of heaven, more than on the “guests.” It is a place referred to as the kingdom or realm of God—somewhere that has many dwelling places—a time of re-connection, so that where Christ is we too shall be. It is also referred to as a place of completion. Whatever has been left unfinished in this life will find its completion there. Whatever has been marred, damaged, or wounded in this life will be transformed into a wholeness intended from the dawn of time. And as the Easter resurrection event is called in scripture the “first fruits” (I Corinthians 15), this refers to the promise that what has been done initially for Jesus Christ will also be done for us.
If I had to speculate beyond those promises, I would hope that the priorities of this life would shift a bit in the life to come. I don’t think we’ll need heavenly “Medicare,” for the God who has known us all the ages long is eternal and steadfast for ages yet to come. I don’t think we’ll have to worry about armies, police forces or security measures, since the one who is our Good Shepherd, whose rod and staff comforts us, will ever be by our side. But I do hope the education will still be valued in heaven. There is so much to learn and discover about this universe. I hope opportunities for “continued education” are part of the curriculum in God’s heavenly realm. But for now, we can only wait and see—speculate and pray. Blessings to you all for the summer season!
