For Love or Money

So I’m listening to a podcast the other day and I guess I’m the last one to find out that Jeff Bezos is among the mega-rich investors in new medical technology that will basically slow down, or even stop, aging. Is it strange that my impulse is to say, “no, thanks”? Of course, my prayer is to live a long, healthy life. I want to be there for my kids, to offer support and to see them realize their dreams and their beautiful potential. I know all too well that it doesn’t always work out that way, and I’m truly so grateful that I get to witness another changing of the seasons. I’m lucky. I know that.

I’m lucky, but I don’t have slow-aging-down money or connections. And if I did? Pretty sure I wouldn’t use my Bezos sized resources that way. I find it sad (and maddening) that such mythic fortunes are being spent on rocket ships and stopping clocks. Frankly, it shows a lack of imagination. Maybe the zillionaires haven’t had any examples of what investing in people, real people, other people, looks like and how great the payoffs are.

I’m biased, but our Peace family is a fine example of the life-giving, life-changing results you can achieve when you are motivated by a simple, guiding principle: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Or put another way, everybody wants to love and be loved. In a thousand ways, we’re investing in each other’s lives, through prayers and conversations, notes in the mail, meals on front porches. We invest in each other and in the community through service and with our offerings. We can see it in our Peace kids–the return on our investment is real, so that everywhere they go in the world they hear the call to be peace, wage peace, and love one another. 

Dear One,

Help us to remember that your commandments are simple–to treat others with the love and compassion that we want to receive, and to give with an open and generous heart.

Amen

Eli is a song leader at Peace. She’s grateful to have such a warm and caring church community where she can share her gifts.