A $518,628 Football
Our Acts Of Faithfulness Fulfill God’s Promises
by Eric Elkin
“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.”
The sports world is on fire with talk about a football. Not just any football, but the one thrown by Tom Brady during what many believed was his last game. The ball was thrown to Tampa Bay wide receiver, Mike Evans for a touchdown. After catching the pass, Evans turned and spontaneously threw the ball into the stands.
The person in the stands who caught the ball decided to put it up for auction. Last week, an anonymous fan purchased the ball for $518,628. However, less than 24 hours after the auction sale, Tom Brady decided to un-retire. The decision immediately decreased the value the football. Since it will not be his last touchdown pass, the ball is now one of 623 balls just like it.
I spent the week wondering, who has $518,628 to spend on a football? Obviously, I made a poor career choice. Then my mind went to the staggering numbers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were willing to pay Tom Brady to comeback. Before you pick on TB12 for making too much money, consider this statistic. Until his last contract with Tampa Bay, Tom’s wife, Gisele Bundchen, was worth more money than her husband.
There is an incredible amount of money in the world. What do people who make millions of dollars a year spend it on? Or, do they just save it to protect themselves from losing it? Do their purchases satisfy them? Perhaps owning a football does provide a level of gratification. I don’t know.
“Money is like love; it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it, and enlivens the other who turns it on [their neighbor].”
On the other side of the world, there is a different debate about wealth. The people of the world are watching Ukrainian refugees fleeing bombs and destruction. These people have fled their homes with only the things they could carry. Where will the money come from to house, feed, and clothe these refugees?
The hottest news stories turn faster than a revolving door. Most people have long forgotten the crisis in Haiti. Civil unrest, an earthquake, and a hurricane left the Haitian people scrambling to find the basic necessities of life. Now that they are no longer in the news, how are those people doing? I am ashamed to admit that I have moved on and do not know.
Some will read Isaiah 55 and scoff. They will see poverty and criticize the empty promises of God. Yet, to those who believe, there is an understanding that we are the promises of God. Our acts of faithfulness provide for the needs of the poor. When people work together to care for each other, God becomes visible to both the giver and the receiver of gifts.
Our community will gather to worship the Risen Christ this coming Easter Sunday. Every dollar collected on that Sunday will be given away. Money will be given to provide basic needs for Ukrainian refugees in Poland and surrounding nations. We will give to help provide mental health services in our local community. When we collect this money, I know people will eat what is good and delight in rich foods. And I will give thanks for the promises of God.
Click to read Isaiah 55: 1-9
Reflection Questions:
If money were no object, what would you like. to fun purchase would you make?
What purchases have brought you the greatest joy?
When have you given to a cause that brought you joy?
How do we teach children about the use of money as an expression of faith?
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