Cheap Nails

Learning how to clean our hearts

Luke 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.

 The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,

 inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

          Ponder this question for a moment: what do you spend your money on? Or, if you don’t personally have any money, what do you spend your parents’ money on? We all spend our money on something, and that tells us what is important to us. For example, would you spend $20 to go see the new movie, “The Martian” with Matt Damon? I would, I love movies! Maybe you’d spend money buying video games like “Mine Craft” or “Assassin’s Creed.” Some women put a high premium on beauty and spend lots of money to look good. One friend of mine likes to say, “Beauty ain’t cheap!” I saw one sign that read: “Nice nails ain’t cheap, and cheap nails ain’t nice!”

          Now, Kristian Bush, the country music artist, spends his money in a different way. He just gives it away to others. Have you heard his song called, “Trailer Hitch”? Here’s the refrain: “I don’t know why, know why, Everybody wanna die rich, Diamonds, champagne, Work your way down that list. We try, everybody tries, Tries to fit it into that ditch (the ditch is the grave). You can’t take it with you when you go, Never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch, never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch.” You see what we spend our money on is one of the best signs of what’s important to us.

          In the gospel today, Jesus suggests something else we should spend our money on, namely, “alms giving.” What is “alms giving”? That’s when you give your money to help the poor. Jesus says, “But as for what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” Jesus is talking about having a clean heart (what’s within) and giving alms to the poor shows you have a heart full of love for the needy, not a heart that’s greedy. In other words, where you spend your money says a lot about what’s important to you, and it shows what’s in your heart.

          Today, I’m asking all of us, myself included, to put Trinity Junior High in our hearts and to give something to the Annual Fund. I gave my check to Mrs. Jill Franklin this morning. I would like all of us – students, teachers, staff, school board and trustees – to give something, even if it’s one dollar. Let me be clear: we’re not trying to raise tons of money, we’re trying to get everyone to give something, even one dollar. Our goal is 100% participation, because that shows we love this school. Please bring your donation to your teacher and she or he will keep track of how close we’re getting to 100% participation.

          Believe me, I hate talking about money as much as you hate hearing about it. But money is funny. It reveals what’s important to us, and it unveils what’s in our heart.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!