A new survey recently came out showing that the county in which I live, Fairfax County, Virginia, is the second wealthiest in America (Loudoun, the county next door, came in first).  Not surprisingly, about five of the top ten counties listed actually surround the Nation’s Capitol, which is more evidence that many of the folks around here are doing well thanks to the big government in Washington, DC.

To be honest, living in the second wealthiest county in one of the richest countries in the world made me feel more sick than proud. When I drive around the area past houses the size of college dorms, I keep asking, “Who are all these rich people and where did they get all that money to build such monuments to their achievement?” Being rich has its benefits, but it’s not the end all be all. Jesus said to the rich young ruler who asked what one must do to inherit eternal life, “Sell everything you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come follow me.” (Luke 18:22) The Bible says that the young man went away sad because he couldn’t let go of his temporal toys to grab hold of eternal joys.

In the current economy, we are seeing more and more companies across America going out of business. Their signs say it all: “Everything must go.” It occurs to me that this is exactly what God is telling us. Since we “can’t take it with us,” we should really hold very loosely to the things of this world. Let it go. When we give away, especially to those less fortunate than ourselves, Jesus promises He will return the blessing in an overflowing way. This is not to say that we should sell all we have and give it away. But it does mean that “it is more blessed to give than receive.”

Martin Luther’s great hymn takes this a step further, imploring followers of Christ to “let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also.” Jesus warns us in Matthew 16:25, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

So why wait until we die to learn too late the valuable lesson that everything must go?  Now is the time to give. That’s how to be truly rich citizens of our heavenly country.